Saving You
by Crashrox92
Summary: It started out as a 'unknowing trick' but now Ironhide finds himself watching over a very distrusting young girl by his choice alone, very aggressive, very wary and very 'verbal' to Ironhides presence, but unfortunately for her, he's not leaving until he finds the cause to her behavior nor is he leaving without her...its going to be a challenge. Rated T for language, please R and R
1. Can My Friend Have a Guardian?

**A/N new story i've been working on, my second OC Eve Lennox i hope i've wrote this alright :) and please if you can take minute to R and R that would be much appreciated.**

* * *

**Can my friend have a guardian?**

It was a twenty minute drive from the N.E.S.T base to the location Will had taken Ironhide it was a similar location to Will's home, in the middle of nowhere but the land around you was huge, randomly pinpointed pine trees were darted around the house, the house itself was a one floored building, a garage and a small set of stairs leading up to the porch.

Ironhide collected his thoughts as he tried to come up with a conclusion to how this could have happened. _"i don't understand this, let me see, Major Lennox asked me for his assistance, then Optimus asked me to help take Major Lennox's things to his siblings home, but for what reason?! he can drive, but why would Prime feel so strongly about a simple task as this...?" _he then came to his own shocking conclusion, _"he thinks i'm-i'm, 'lazy'? i-i haven't been training in a while and i've been too busy socializing with the younger bots and the N.E.S.T soldiers, Primus above i need to get back into action before I'm **taken **out of action_."

"Hide?" Will said.

"H-Huh? Major Lennox? is something wrong? have we been called in?" he said eagerly.

"erm, no." he replied flatly. "we're here. and i can't get out."

Ironhides mind wandered again as he tried to remember everything during that time.

**Earlier that day**

Ellen had just come home from school, well, 'home' here meant the N.E.S.T base, Ironhide was the one on child pick up duty as the others were out on the field much to his delight. Ellen remained quiet the whole trip, during her experience with the Allspark situation she learned Ironhide didn't care much for the human race and thought us all to be the same, but maybe afterwards that's changed perhaps? After all he seems to tolerate Will. but knowing or not she kept to herself until he said otherwise.

As Ironhide drove into base, the others had already returned as Optimus was having an audience with Major Lennox formerly Captain until recent events. As Ironhide opened his cab doors Ellen, short as she is, climbed down from the seat and onto the floor.

She gave her Dad the usual greetings as she stood at his feet. "How was school?" Optimus asked, he had to talk casually to Ellen to avoid long conversation of questions asking what he meant, for example to start with he would ask "how is your progression in the institution of education?" normally in response Ellen would give him a dumbfounded face, which dragged the conversation.

Ellen shrugged, "it was okay." She said looking at her hands.

"But?" Optimus said noticing her troubled expression.

"There was this fight at school, someone said something mean to Eve but i didn't think she would attack the person." She said twiddling her fingers a little frightened from what she saw.

"Eve is, a friend of yours?" Optimus asked.

"Yeah, and it was scary, she wouldn't stop hitting him until a teacher came over, but the teachers found it hard to hold her, i think they were scared of her." She continued to say.

"There's more to why you're telling me this, am i correct?" Optimus asked.

"I'm worried for her, i don't get why she's like this, she's so, so, angry all the time, I've been to her house before, her Dads always out and she lives in the middle of nowhere." Ellen then whispered cupping a hand over her mouth. "You should see her cupboards."

"Why are you whispering?" Optimus asked.

Ellen then looked around as she saw Will leave the premises, "because Eve is Will's niece, Eve told me not to tell anyone, because then some people might come round her house and stick their noses in." She explained.

"What people?" Optimus asked.

Ellen shook her head wildly, "not allowed to say, but don't tell anyone kay?"

"If Eve is in some sort of dilemma, we should inform Major Lennox so he in turn can report this." Optimus told her.

Ellen shook her head wildly again, "no, no, no! You don't know her like i do; it will just make her worse."

Optimus nodded and sighed, "Then what do you propose?"

"Propose? As in a wedding?" Ellen said in confusion.

"No, no i mean what do you suggest we do about this." He said.

"Oh, well Eve's all alone at home, she pushes me away all the time, when i do certain stuff like tap her on the shoulder or try to hug her and she always gets hurt...well anyway can you have someone watch over her?" she then said in a small voice.

"I'm Sorry?" Optimus said.

"you know, like you have for me." she said.

"I see, like a guardian?" he said.

Ellen nodded.

"Hmm, well if it is in the middle of nowhere as you have stated, it would be a hard location for any Decepticons to pinpoint, and the Autobots should really all have a location to call as a 'second base' if you will if this base was every infiltrated...but this is more as a personal errand." He then said.

"Please Dad, you haven't seen the..." she stopped mid sentence.

"Seen what?" he said.

she started whimpering instead of providing an explanation.

Optimus sighed, "Perhaps i can send an Autobot to analyze the situation first." instantly making Ellen perk up, "how is it i cannot..."

"Hey Ironhide can i borrow you for a second?" they both heard Will say as they whipped there visions to outside.

"I'm not your errand bot Major Lennox." Ironhide moaned.

"Come on it's just a quick stop." Will mock pleaded.

Ellen then started pointing and making frantic noises to Optimus as she motioned him in Ironhides direction, Optimus tilted his head to her strange behavior as she instead ran up to Will. "Hey Will! Going somewhere?" she asked him.

"Yeah to Eve's." he said picking her up, "got a few things my Brother agreed to hang onto for me." Will told her.

Ellen then looked at Optimus for some kind of help.

Finally understanding human signals Optimus quickly tried to think of something, "I-Ironhide, assist Major Lennox with his personals" Optimus ordered, first time for him to start out hesitant.

Ironhide looked dumbfounded to begin with as he blinked a few times, "Prime, I'm a war veteran I'm **not **being demoted to human assistant." Ironhide protested.

Ellen waved her arms up and down frantically, she wanted this too work, "hey whats wrong?" Will said as he had a hard time holding her up.

"Ironhide are you going against a direct order?" Optimus said in a slight serious slight hesitant voice, he sounded silly basically.

"I..." Ironhide started, furrowing his brow.

"Now." Dad simply said this whole set up made him uneasy and just wanted to end the conversation as quickly as possible.

Ironhide grumbled, "Understood." He said as he merely transformed just to get out of showing any other expression.

Ellen gave Optimus a thumbs up as he winked at her, "Hmm." Will said watching the two, then Ellen swung her arms around his neck as she pressed her cheek against his, "U-uh, thanks?" he said putting her down, "any messages you want me to pass on?" he said kneeling down her.

"Hi?" she said.

Will stood up shaking his head amused, "i like it, its short, easy to remember." he said lightly as Ellen and Optimus proceeded back into base as they left Will and Ironhide to their quarreling.

Will had a big grin on his face now as he rubbed his hands together, "This is mainly some of my things i can't store at home, just stuff from being out here." Will said as he loaded a good sum of cardboard boxes into Ironhides backseats.

Ironhide merely grunted, as he revved his engines up, "let's hurry this up Major."

"Take it easy big guy; don't act like this when I'm at my brothers." Will said like scowling a child.

"I'll be retaining this form **only, **while there." Ironhide argued.

"Oh no, you're giving me a hand with all this stuff, i saw the holoform Optimus produced in Mission city so you can give me a hand." Will argued back.

Ironhide growled this time, "Look, the sooner we get the job done the sooner we can get back and you can go back to...doing nothing." Will reassured.

"What are you implying when you say 'doing nothing'?" Ironhide hissed.

Will got himself in the front, "just, drive." He said testing how far he can push him.

Ironhide sped off so fast he gave Will whiplash.

* * *

"Ironhide!" Will yelled.

Ironhide was slightly startled by the yell, "what?!" he yelled back.

"i said i can't get out, Will you unlock the door already?" he said.

"Will this take long?" he asked, Will turned back into his seat.

"I can't give you an exact time but hopefully not long but saying that it took a while for me to organize this as my Brothers rarely in the house, which i am worried about...but he must leave Eve with someone, but he should really be acting more of a parent to her." Will said brushing his chin lightly.

"If you are related, wouldn't it make more sense for him to leave his offspring with you and your family?" Ironhide asked, though he didn't know why, maybe even he possess the ability of curiosity?

"Sarah...is a bit wary of her..." Will said regrettably.

"Why?" Ironhide asked.

"Well, she can be a bit of a hand full, she's very...troubled, i wish Sarah would try to be a bit more understanding but she's only thinking of the safety of our baby." Will said.

"I don't understand your explanation." Ironhide simply said.

"I'll put it bluntly even though i don't like to describe her in this type of manner, but tin head here can't get a hint." Will said throwing his arms in the air before gripping the steering wheel, "let me give you a list from what most have described her as mainly her school reports, Eve is a very aggressive child, she can be very mean spirited, she speaks fowl language, she's destructive, the list goes on but i prefer not to continue because this is killing me right now, she's my older Brothers child, my Niece, you know the school actually sent the police to our doors because they couldn't get hold of Jack?" Will said his voice rose with each passing moment.

"Why does she display such behavior?" Ironhide asked.

"i don't know, but she's not bad, she's just confused, I've tried asking her if its someone at school bothering her, or her friends, but every time i ask she refuses to talk to me, instead becomes very defensive, she has struck me a few times in the past." Will explained.

"Have you been persistent?" Ironhide asked.

"How can i be? I'm not her father, and I'm not always around i have my job, my wife and child to support...and when i say that, it sounds like I've already abandoned her or given up on her." he then whacked the steering wheel, "God!" he then breathed a few breaths before continuing this time in a much toned down voice. "I've been away for a long while too on the field; i haven't seen her until now. I'm not sure if she's gotten worse or better...but godammit I'm so angry at Jack! He hasn't even tried a Councillor or gotten any help he just has his head up his ass about the situation!" Will's voice rose again as he then pinched the bridge of his nose. "but he's her Father, the only support she has, i can't report Jacks absence from the house and leaving a child alone because i know she wouldn't be able to make it out there, people always blow off the 'troubled' child, they try for at least a week and then say it's too stressful, we can't handle her, its effecting my marriage, I've seen it all before, people pass around children like a baton. Though I'm no better..." He then said solemnly.

There was silence between the two until Will's eyes open wide as to a sudden idea formed in his head, "hey, Ironhide?" he then said seemingly pleased with himself.

"What is it Major?" he replied bluntly.

"You can stay, observe, find out what's making Eve tick because your just a truck she'll be none the wiser, and she will eventually let her guard down around an inanimate object." Will said excited.

"A-Are-Are you out of your fragging mind?! **One **i cannot stay either, for Prime needs me on the field, **two **who are you calling '**just** a truck'? And **three **who are you calling an inanimate object?" he yelled.

"Ironhide come on, your only twenty minutes from base." Will begged.

"No." He said blankly.

Will sighed frustrated, "fine, let's just...drop my things off and go already." He said hopelessly as he swirled himself around and grabbed a couple of boxes from the backseats, then got out of Ironhides cab, slamming the door behind making the truck sway slightly.

As he walked towards the house, another man came up beside him with some boxes of his own, middle aged looking with slightly toned skin, short shaved black hair, black tank top and dark blue denim jeans, his face had many scars, a long deep one that trailed from the bottom of his chin down to the bottom of his neck, a few on his bottom jaw and a slashed one going past his right eye.

"What are you doing?" Will said rather coldly.

"Assisting you as you requested, and as Prime ordered." He replied back, Ironhide had made a holoform and Will merely scoffed.

As the two drew closer to the house, on the porch sat a young girl, she had long jet black hair that hanged down to her elbows, a black top on and dark purple denim shorts on, her legs had a hand full of band aids on, she sat in a position where her head was low and her hair covered the whole top of her head completely, she was a skinny thing but had some muscle on her.

She had a stick and was drawing stuff into a sandy part of the ground, but on approach she quickly scribbled it out, unidentible to Will but Ironhide looked past the scribbles and saw it was a picture of a happy dog with its tongue sticking out, innocent enough as Ironhide tilted his head intrigued.

Though Eve kept her head down, Will then knelt down to her as she instantly put her head up, she looked him up and down and watched every movement he made even his shrugging motions.

"Hey Eve, i-i'm back." He said rather awkwardly.

You could just about see the corner of her eyes as her expression was blank, "The news guy said you were dead." She said her speech also blank.

"Propaganda, don't always listen to what the TV tells you." Will said putting on the best smile he could muster, he was being surprisingly patient with her and so you can tell that this has been going on for a good while now.

"Did your dumb bitch of a wife cry?" she then said with growing confidence.

"Eve, don't you dare say such things and I've told you not to use such language." Will said firmly.

"Don't care that's what she is, after all who gets scared of a child?" she then snickered, "you married a pussy." She said.

"Stop this." Will said sternly but he didn't lose his cool, from behind Ironhide observed the behavior, he noticed her readiness stance normally a position to hostile beings, she looked at Will as that potential threat, her left hand was slightly clenched and she was frowning intently.

"Look, are you going to drop your shit off or not?" she then said.

Will sighed no matter what he said he couldn't get her to stop swearing, the sad thing is he hadn't the time to wean her off such a bad habit. "Where's your father?" he then said calmly.

"In town." She said.

"He left you here alone? Again?" Will said annoyed.

"Kids get left alone at home all the time, stop freaking out." She scoffed folding her arms and tilting her head up.

"Yeah amongst a community where you can ask a neighbour to check on you every so often." Will retaliated.

"You can leave your stuff in the garage Dad said, the attic is full and the basement is off limits." Eve just replied with as she pointed toward the garage.

"Can i come in? At least tell you what I've been doing, and i want to know what you've been doing, with school, friends, the...girl you gave a broken nose to today..." Will said as Ironhide glanced his way at that last statement.

Eve shot a glance at Will herself, "no, powers out." she blankly said.

Will sighed, "Well, I'll just put my stuff in come on." He said motioning to Ironhide.

Eve averted her gaze to the other man, she hadn't noticed him because he was so quiet, and she looked on with fascination on his scars, one of the few things that impressed Eve, something grimly awesome. "Hey dickhead." She called out to him as he stopped and slowly turned.

Ironhides expression (surprisingly) was neither anger nor annoyance, maybe because he was unfamiliar with the word or something else but his face was content, "my name is not 'dickhead' it is Ironhide." He corrected her.

"Ironhide? What kind of stupid ass name is that?" Eve said as her lip sneered.

"What kind of designation is Eve?" Ironhide retaliated calmly but looked back at her with an evil grin.

"Okay smartass you wanna fucking go a few rounds?" Eve yelled at him, Eve was windily tight even the slightest remark gets her back up.

"You couldn't go **a **round with **me**." Ironhide calmly said boasting a little.

"Oh yeah?" Eve said getting off the porch and charging her way towards Ironhide, she threw her leg behind her as she threw it back as a sideways kick, ironhide swiftly turned around and grabbed her leg, he then grabbed the other and firmly pinned her on her back, on the floor.

Eve was twisting and clawing her hands in his direction aggressively "let go of me you fucking asshole!" she screamed bloody murder at him.

Ironhide merely stared at her as she continued to scream in anger, "Ironhide?" Will said as he dropped his stuff and made his way over.

"Hold on." Ironhide merely said.

"But..." Will said hesitantly.

"I'm not hurting her." Ironhide said. "Resume your task."

Will backed off slowly and looked upon the Eve, to see her like this...so angry...but he'll do as Ironhide said as he headed back and forth with his stuff.

Ten minutes went by and still Eve struggled as Ironhide kept his still position and held her there.

It wasn't until another ten minutes had gone by that she finally tired herself out and merely shot a distasteful, hateful look toward Ironhide as she panted for air, in response Ironhide merely gave her a smile, to Eve it looked patronising and she growled at him, he finally let go of her legs as she kicked his hands away and rolled on her side.

She continued to pant as Ironhide walked past her as he headed back to his true form, "you're an enduring one, i like that." He said to her casually as he continued to walk.

Eve shot him a glare as she sat up, "fuck you." Was her response.

Will feeling guilt ridden approached her as she began to punch the grass in frustration, "Eve, we're going now." He said to her as he crouched down to her level.

"Fuck you, leave me alone!" she spat at him, i guess she's still angry at him for letting Ironhide restrain her like that, but he'd tried everything else when she would lash out like that and this method seemed to work.

Will stood up again as he looked down at her sadly, _"what's made you this way?" he_ thought. "Tell your old man i said hi." He told her with a waving motion. "oh!" he said clicking his fingers, "i saw Ellen in town today, she told me to tell you she said hi." he said hoping to get a response.

Eve was quiet, and she stopped punching the ground she just sat there with her back turned.

Will's hopeful expression fell slightly as he sighed and shook his head, and then he cocked his head back motioning to Ironhides true form, he hopped into his cab as he shut the door behind him; Ironhides holoform was still active as it sat in the passenger seat staring at the dash board. "Very well, I'll do it." He suddenly said.

"Do what?" Will asked.

"Remain here...and observe as you requested." Ironhide said.

"You would do that?" Will said surprised, then he frowned slightly, "wait you wouldn't do it before, so why change your mind?" Will enquired raising an eyebrow.

"I can easily change my mind **again**." Ironhide said rather threatening.

"Okay, okay take it easy...I'll tell Eve i'm leaving you here as well." Will said somewhat relieved Ironhide was going to do this for him.

"You'd have to proceed on foot if you were to leave me here." Ironhide said.

"I'm not returning to base, i'm returning home, its ten minutes away from here." Will said.

Ironhide said nothing, merely de-activated his holoform.

With nothing else said Will took that as an understandment, as he got out the cab again, and approached Eve **again**, Will felt like an idiot, after a very tense atmosphere he has to go back to that storm of tension and tell Eve he forgot that he's leaving the truck, "ha ha, hey Eve I've done something stupid." He laughed as he scratched the back of his head.

Eve remained in the same position as before as she was now a living statue, "So, e-er i forgot that i'm leaving the truck too, i guess i'm just so comfortable with driving everywhere i forgot heh." Will continued.

"whatever." Eve said.

"Okay, well er, see ya soon okay?" Will said as he was about to approach her with a hug, but remembered she hates them so instead waved at her from behind her back, then he walked backwards as he felt so dumb like this right now, then turned off and jogged in the opposite direction the sooner he left the sooner Ironhide can find out the problem, the drive that led to Eve's house was long and downhill so Will was out of sight in seconds.

Left alone, or so she thinks Eve started pruning the grass, each chunk of grass made a tearing sound as that was all that was heard, Eve then let her shoulders relax as she shifted slightly.

She turned around as she looked at the black pick up, she stared at it with no expression on her face, and then she frowned, where did Will's man labour go?

"_Is he still in the truck?" E_ve thought as she crept to the porch and grabbed an iron wrench, she slapped it against her palm as she approached the truck with narrow eyes, she stalked it as she cautiously pulled on the handle and swung it open quick as she wielded her wrench...empty, well the front was, Eve wasn't completely satisfied as she hopped onto the front seat she swung her head around the backseats as she continued to wield her weapon tensely. Her eyes darted around the seats checking every inch of the truck. She became frustrated as she let out a groan.

Jumping out of the truck she slammed the door, and then checked under the truck, around the other side of the truck, the back of the truck, nothing.

"where the hell did you go?!" she yelled as she darted around in circles still wielding the wrench, she was now frantic as with every turn, she would make a slight gasping noise.

From Ironhides Pov she was so, paranoid at every noise, or coincidence, she took in everything that happened, she could've thought the other 'man' went before Will, but no she was so sure he was still here. Eve was just getting herself more and more worked up over time and Ironhides sensors told him her stress levels were beyond that of any normal adult human.

Then what she did now was crouch down and put her head on top of her knees still wielding a wrench but started mumbling to herself and her eyes continued to dart around. Another few moments after that she got up and ran for her house, slamming the door.

Now blocked of a visual of her, he put on his sensors, inside the house Eve stood out; it didn't help much as it only showed what kind of position she was in, a crouching one again but this time she rocked back and forth.

Not known for being patient Ironhide merely transformed and went around the back trying not to make any noise, which he didn't surprisingly. There was a tiny window that aligned itself with Eve's position, he knelt down and he looked through the window, Eve was under her blanket in her bed still rocking.

For that very reason Ironhide felt a twinge in his spark, he held a hand there as he let himself look at Eve again, she was so frightened, now he understands why she was being so distasteful before, she was getting everyone to fear her so she doesn't fear them...but why would she fear them in the first place?

Will said her Father's rarely home, though he thinks someone looks after her in his place, Ironhide very much doubts that.

Ironhide then transformed again as he placed himself next to her window, at least from here he can monitor her behaviour, how sad that there are some human children here that are suffering this way, he thought...but he shook it off, he should return to base...but he couldn't something tugged as his spark as Eves swaying just wouldn't stop.

He cleared his mind as he sat there monitoring her, the entire night.

9:00pm...

1:00am...

3:00am...

4:07am, she finally started sleeping and Ironhide knew for a fact that human children went to school today as he was Ellen's bus schedule for a week, she was frightened along with deprived of sleep? Ironhide remembered novice Autobots that would be deprived of re-charge because of paranoia and fear of death, but that was during the war.

_"Will has every right to be worried...and where's her Sire? He hasn't come back since his trip to 'town'." _he thought. Are all human fathers like this? If they were, Ironhide was glad no Sire on Cybertron were like that...well, a hand full were not as great but mostly all of them.

After a few minutes of restless sleeping the blankets finally came down from her face, even when sleeping she didn't look peaceful at all, and you could see that Eve still wielded the wrench, gripping it very tightly ready for any kind of threat that may invade.

* * *

**A/N maybe i'll upload another chapter, see how this story is received, plus i have another story to update as it is, so it may be a while but we'll see anyway i just wanted to get this up as it has been battling in my head for a couple of years now :) **


	2. The Will to Live, Innocence Lost

**A/N just as a WARNING there will be attempted suicide in this chapter, just so you know.**

* * *

**The Will to Live, Innocence lost**

Come early morning and Ironhide was still on his guard naturally, sounds of birds could be heard though pleasant at the time it affected his audio receptors after a couple of hours, other wildlife would climb on him and foxes would try and urinate on him, though he revved his engines as a warning they still came back and termination was tempting.

"Ironhide, what's your status." Came Optimus over the communication patch.

"My...status?" Ironhide thought a long while till Optimus broke the silence.

"You have not returned to base, have you finished assisting Major Lennox with his belongings?" he asked.

"Yes, but i..." Ironhide started.

"Has something happened?" Optimus asked getting straight to the point.

"Prime i...that is Major Lennox has requested i stay at my current location, but if you're going to need me in the field i can..." Ironhide started.

"Remain at your current location old friend." Optimus simply said.

"Prime?" Ironhide said confused.

"Upon thinking, taking refuge amongst humans would provide us with an advantage." Optimus said.

"How so?" ironhide questioned.

"We would be able to maneuver around without much difficulty, watch for Decepticons from various locations and being scattered would be difficult for the Decepticons to pinpoint our base." He sounded unconvincing to Ironhide for some reason but he thought nothing of it.

"I guess that's a valued point, is that all Prime?" he asked.

"Yes, but be sure to contact base on a regular basis, and good luck with your new charge." Optimus then said pretty quickly before closing the conversation.

"Wait? What?" Ironhide questioned but the reply was static...did he have a part in this? The sudden task of helping Will with his things, his out of character reactions...this was a set up, and though he doesn't mind now, he'll be sure to raise hell the next time he's at base.

* * *

Although unsure of whether or not he'll be called into battle anytime soon, he was kind of relieved he can stay here and as it was coming up 7:30 in the morning he felt he should resume his previous position, the one Eve had seen him in. He didn't want to rile her up again like last night.

Then a question came to his mind, should he reveal himself to her soon...his real self? On one hand she might be okay with the idea of having a giant robot for a...an acquaintance. Or on the other hand she may not and instead cut his head off with a machete, he had a feeling she could be capable of that.

And how does he do it? Just be blunt? Or slowly go into it? No way does he do things slow he hasn't the patience. he had been in his undercover position for about half an hour now and Eve finally emerged from her house...four hours sleep. She would often glare at his vehicle form as she took the trash out, one time she flipped the bird at him i guess his form could be a little intimidating, though he is none the wiser about human motions at this point in time.

Normally Ironhide wouldn't tolerate brats who show this kind of attitude, but he wasn't bothered by it mainly because he didn't see it as brat-ish behavior, more like a distrusting attitude.

She didn't look like she was getting ready for school either, she went inside her house, watched a bit of TV and then tidied her room, no not just her room but the whole house, Ironhide could only pick up on her life signs not anything else in the house that were inanimate objects.

Her room was spotless, you wouldn't expect it to be with a child unless told well it would at least be a mess at some point but Eve's room was **always **spotless. She was very specific in cleaning; she even picked out the dirt that was between the cracks of the floorboards with a pen knife.

She cleaned the bathroom, the sink was full of hair, the toilet seat was dry with urine and this was the cleanest the bathroom had been though Eve had been dreading it, like she dread it every time her Father would return and then leave again as well as leave the house in such a horrible condition, it wasn't that bad when he stayed for a day or two but a week would leave the house looking like a zoo. She couldn't clean until her Uncle Will had gone she was ashamed of her house as well as her living conditions and normally embarrassment makes her angry, for her Dad had left half an hour before he came and due to her paranoia kicking off, she hasn't got round to it until now and her Dad could turn up at anytime, and he **expected** the house to be clean.

Outside Ironhide could only see eve do a number of crouching and getting down on her knees, he was tempted to just walk over there and rip the windows off that would get him a good view.

Eve was using face wipes to clean the bathroom, the house was empty of any cleaning products, and Eve felt like heaving when she cleaned the toilet, and it was leaving a very potent smell. Her face was hardened for this was her life and it had always been her life as long as she could remember.

She had her friends, well the only ones she's considered friends, she never told them that directly and perhaps she never will, But she felt she couldn't live this life anymore, she wanted to die...especially since recent events. But she was afraid to die, but living was the same as dying.

She knelt down by the toilet seat as she wiped off the remaining human waste from the seat and flushed the wipe down, _"lucky wipe." _Eve thought.

Sitting there in silence for a long while she then dropped everything and she stood up as she made her way to the living room, she went in the set of draws that acted as a stand for the TV and got out her dad's revolver. She knew how to use it she watched him use it many times on Racoons and Birds, which Eve buried. One thing she loved was animals, if there was a drowning kid or a drowning Kitten she'd save the Kitten, so she says.

"_This time for sure." E_ve thought as she then looked up to the ceiling and prayed, "i-i know you don't like this kind of death." Her hands then begun to shake as streams of tears rolled down her face very fast, "b-but p-please...l-let me be the e-exception, i-if you have been watching...t-then you should understand, and understand why i do the things i do, the swearing, the rejection, the violence... i'm scared and alone...s-sometimes i h-hold myself and pretend someone is comforting me...just t-to get by, but i hate my life, this isn't living, it's not even surviving!" she then coughed slightly for her mouth was dry from crying, then she calmed down slightly as she spoke again, "I say this to you every time i try, just in case you forget, you're a busy dude and all, but if this is the last time, p-please save me." She choked as she released her cupped hands then wiped her face, as she wiped her face her sleeve was now smeared with a pasty colored substance.

Outside, Ironhides audio receptors could hear her whole conversation with...herself he was guessing, who else was she talking too? unless they had a deity too? and this being is...in the atmosphere? Though the conversation was hard to listen to, "_she holds herself for comfort..." _he thought solemnly.

Inside Eve loaded the bullets as she clicked them in place and walked out of the house, and just walked forward into the forest that stood twenty metres away from the house, she was barefooted as she trailed through the fallen leaves that acted as a path, Ironhides rear mirrors rotated slightly to get sight of her, what was she doing?

Noticing a primitive human weapon in her hand, this had grabbed his attention, was she planning on using it on someone? Perhaps the wildlife? The worry grew as she could no longer be seen in his view; he quickly pursued her in his vehicle mode.

When he caught up with her, she was looking at the gun intently she would turn it slightly to the left, then to the right and then its aim was at her way, suicide? She couldn't possibly be thinking such things, Eve then lifted it higher still its aim remained on her and she guided it toward her mouth, she then opened her mouth as she had a relieved expression on her face, she closed her eyes as she moved the gun past her lips as...

"Stop!" came Ironhides voice.

* * *

**A/N i thought i'd do the whole suicide attempt as a short chapter so we can move past that and get to the long journey of Ironhide and Eve's relationship, though it will be a long and awkward one, there are certainly not going to be friends straight away ^_^; **


	3. An Introduction

**An Introduction**

Eve immediately spun the gun around as well as her body, that black truck had somehow gotten itself out here, which immediately got her on edge again, that guy, she knew he was still here! She pointed the gun in various directions as there was no driver in the truck, but the forest was so dense, he could be anywhere.

"Just put the primitive weapon down." Ironhide said calmly.

Eve face was filled with confusion as it sounded like the voice was coming from the truck, but in denial she pointed it around again, this time her grasp on the gun was hesitant.

"Why don't you fucking make me!" she yelled.

"As you wish." He simply said.

Eve's eyes darted around and she upped the level of her guard, as she waited for the guy to show himself. What she heard now was a series of shifting and clicks as she looked at the source of noise...the truck.

Her mouth dropped as it got taller in height, out of instinct she fired upon it consistently until she run out bullets, by this time Ironhide was already fully transformed and eve continued firing the gun although it was just a series of desperate clicking.

Frozen, Ironhide approached her and took the gun from her hand in a pinching motion and grinded it between his fingers like sprinkling salt. "What, the fuck?" Eve said breathless, still with her mouth open and still attempting to fire a gun.

Ironhide decided to try another one of his weird theories with her, instead of allowing her to get scared and worked up, he decided to provoke her."What's wrong, you scared?" he said mockingly.

Eve closed her mouth tight, and glared at him, "not bloody likely." She said pressing herself up against a tree, "you stay the fuck away from me." She said, her hair stood slightly on edge like an angry cat.

"Take it easy I'm not going to hurt you." Ironhide said reassuringly.

"No? Then piss off." She said bluntly.

Ironhide decided to use a little reverse psychology, "fine, I'll leave you out here alone, good luck trying to find another way to terminate yourself." Ironhide said waving her off as he stomped off.

Eve's tiny ounce of child instinct couldn't help herself but ask "What..." she started but stopped herself as she shuffled her feet and frowned.

Ironhide stopped and turned, raising an eyebrow at her "speak up will ya."

She huffed, "i said what are you? Open your freaking ears!" she said crossing her arms.

Ironhide turned to face her, still she was on her guard, he took a step forward as she raised a hand to him, "just, stay there." She said watching his movements.

"Very well, now to answer your question, i am an autonomous robotic organism from the planet Cybertron." He explained to her.

"An alien robot basically." She said waving it off as if she weren't impressed, but she secretly was.

"If that is how you see it, yes." He replied sighing slightly.

"Okay, well, why the hell are you at my house?!" she abruptly yelled.

"Your Uncle requested i stay as well as my Commander." He said.

"Uncle Will? He knows what you really are too?" Eve said.

"Yes, amongst few civilians as well." He said.

"Civilians? The way you said that makes me think your staying with the military?" Eve said guessing.

"Yes and no. This type of military operates under secrecy in aiding us in finding and terminating stray Decepticons who are in hiding." Ironhide explained. "like vermin." he added under his breath.

"Wait, Decepticons?" Eve said frowning slightly.

"Same race, like us except there, for a better word evil." He said.

"How?" Eve said as if she was interrogating him.

"You see we are at war with the Decepticons..." Ironhide started.

"We?" Eve interrupted.

"Autobots, like me, we fight for all that is good i won't get into detail because it's too slagging sloppy but the Decepticons only know destruction and dominance, which inevitably led to the death of our world." Ironhide explained.

"So if your worlds dead why are you still fighting?" Eve asked at this point she had sat down and crossed her legs, she was now interested.

"We originally came here to find the Qllspark, which bared us life along with our planet and without it our planet died, coming here we hoped to maybe bring it back and restore our home, but it would just end in an endless loop of fighting over it. So we had to destroy it, but even though we couldn't return to our planet, we have found a new home, here on Earth." Ironhide explained tinge of sadness in his voice.

"How did you lose the thing in the first place?" Eve asked her voice was calm and intrigued.

"It was at the battle of Tyger Pax, Optimus prime had..." Ironhide started but again Eve interrupted.

"Whoa, whoa, who's Optimus prime?" she said.

"Will you let me answer one question at a time?" he said slightly annoyed.

She scoffed, "Whatever."

"Anyway Optimus had ordered the Allspark off world to delay Megatrons possession of it." he said.

"Who's Megatron?!" Eve now questioned with a slight grin on her face.

Ironhide sighed pinching the bridge of his nose, "hold both those questions." He said.

Eve was silent for once as he continued, "Megatron pursued it anyway into space tracking it down to earth, But he had crash landed in one of the coldest parts of your planet rendering him frozen before he could reach the cube."

Eve then raised a hand for permission to ask a question, Ironhide smiled slightly, "Yes Eve?" he said.

"Did you find the cube?" she asked.

"yes, but Megatron had managed to become unfrozen and track the cube down to the city in which we were attempting to hide it, but in the end we destroyed the Allspark by merging it with Megatrons spark." He said.

"Okay questions, who is Optimus prime? Who is Megatron? What is a spark? And what does slagging mean?" Eve asked.

"Optimus Prime is our leader, Megatron is leader of the Decepticons, a spark is like your human heart and slagging...well never you mind." He said.

"Its a swear word isn't it?" she said mischievously, again grinning.

"Don't say it; I'll put it like that." He said simply.

"Okay, well can you go away now?" Eve said, Ironhide slightly slumped he thought this friendly banter could change her mind, probably not then.

"I will not." He simple said which got Eve on edge again.

"Fuck off!" she screamed at him.

"I will not." He said again, Eve then banged her fists on her head as she stormed off towards her house, as she did so she heard the stomping sounds of Ironhides feet following her.

She spun around, "go away!" she yelled.

He didn't answer this time as she continued her way to her house, he continued to pursue. Eve growled in frustration as she begun to run to her house, she hated people being behind her, she couldn't see what they were doing. She then ran into her house and slammed the door behind, then opened it again, "go away you stupid robot!" she attempted to get him to go away one more time as she slammed the door again.

Eve sat down, leaning up against her front door, when in her home she would express her fear of strangers, giant robots for that matter, but she wasn't, she was wary of him yes, but not afraid, but why wouldn't he leave her alone? But one things for sure she could never trust him, she would be sure to keep her distance and speak small talk, if not any speech at all.

But this feeling, of having company, one side of her liked the idea of not being alone, but the other was terrified of the idea mainly because it was different it interfered with her sense of security, if she had any at all. Getting up slowly from her position, she peeked out the corner of the window, Ironhide merely stood there, which creeped her out, and she scrunched her face up at him as he waved at her mockingly and grinned.

Eve growled again, as she went to her room and lay on her bed, that's probably why she wasn't afraid of him because instead she was pissed off at him! And that four hours of sleep was taking its toll as she comfortably closed her eyes, though not completely sleeping just yet she kept an eye on the window in front of her, on cue Ironhide took a look in as it looked like he wanted something.

Eve didn't want to pass an opportunity to tell him to 'piss off' again so she opened the window a crack, "What?" she huffed.

"Why do you where such chemicals on your face?" he bluntly asked.

Eve sighed, "What are you going on about?" she moaned.

"The deionised water, the emollient, the traces of tridecyl neopentanaote, the linoleic acid, the ocyyl methoxycinnamate, not to mention its particular level of gamma." Ironhide said slightly concerned in fact.

Eve confused as hell, merely closed the window on him and locked her bedroom door, she had recently put one on and locks it every night, she then rolled onto her bed and lay on her back with her arms behind her head, she closed her eyes again as this time she let herself sleep, but the slightest sound from Ironhide or anything else and she'd raise hell.

* * *

**A/N please R+R i'd Appreciate it :) i'll be doing pov's for the next chapters but only for each of them not the whole story just to hear there own thoughts in this :)**


	4. Female Intruder

**Ironhides POV **

I can ask again when she is fully recharged; i continued to watch her as she locked her door with a not so practical lock, very small compared to the door, how that's supposed to keep anything out is beyond me. Again she is glaring at me, i would think humans survive by doing this the number of times she's performed such a motion.

Eve now lay on her berth as she quickly fell into recharge, she looked much more relaxed this time as you could tell by her body language as well as her expression, progress is being made, i hope. Then again on a second glance it could be because of lack of sleep and her body couldn't handle the strain.

I'm not trying to be negative, just taking every likely possibility. Though i am curious about the substance she wears on her face, perhaps i should perform some research...define these ingredients...urgh primitive data base can't even provide me with a straight bit of Intel!

Luckily thanks to my exceptional processor i was able to scout through the long list and come across something relatable to my search...cosmetics, such as lipstick or...ah here we are a powder applied to the face used to enhance or alter the appearance. Humans are bizarre creatures why would you use such things, I've never had Ratchet perform any cosmetic adjustments on my assemblage, everything I've gained, battle scars and dents i wear them as a medal of pride that I'm proud of what I've gained as well as being able to 'remember' how they were there in the first place, the er, old processor can't seem to hold as many memories as it used to.

with humans its different i guess, upon further research I've found that humans like to wear make up to appear more appealing and attractive...hmm strange, i could maybe understand for courting purposes but why would Eve want to make herself more appealing? I've seen many humans while on this rock and i find her to be a very cu...e-er...appealing youngling. Though if she didn't hide her face so much many would agree with me too...well they'd better.

Today was a close call though, and if i hadn't been here she could've...i didn't want to think too much about it that's how I've got by normally, i can handle mostly anything with the things I've seen but again i don't think too deeply into it, mainly to keep my own sanity, but i draw the line at child death...which i have seen as well, which makes me even more determined with this task i have been tricked into doing, well I'm overdoing it, it was my own choice as well...but I'll complain that i was tricked when i talk to anyone else.

I let myself relax a little, I'm not used to being so still for so long and now that she's sleeping it will be even longer, i can leave anytime, perhaps help out at base but i can't seem to drag myself from here...urgh! I hate multiple choices! And it's only mid-afternoon...which makes me wonder, would the school be wary of her absence? I'm not exactly knowledgeable with human laws or there protocol but do they simply ignore these matters? i should look into that, but that's a slagging choir by itself.

* * *

About an hour had gone by and i can't seem to stay still, though i have had time to research some more basic knowledge of humans its really, 'dull' and feels more like a, a...oh i don't know but i wish something would happen already!

Then something caught my attention as if Primus himself heard my pleas, a vehicle, i could hear its engine as it drove up the drive, it stopped just at the top and i adjusted my rear mirrors to see the intruder. A female human came out formally dressed if I'm correct, she was wearing this footwear with a pillar attached...doesn't look very suited for this environment they were getting stuck in the ground, and by the sound of her frustrating groans she knew they weren't suited either, then why where them then? Foolish female.

What was her purpose here? If she truly does come with hostile intent i won't hesitate to terminate her it doesn't matter what Optimus said about harming humans if Eve comes into any harm I'll do what's necessary, of course to me its the **only **option. She approached the house as she knocked firmly on the door, seconds later she repeated her knocking, my sensors told me Eve was under stress again most likely from the abrupt wake up call, i don't like this female.

I saw Eve peek her eye from the corner of the window, first she was frowning then her eyes widened as she ducked down, perhaps she thought it was me.

The female continued the knocking for about two more minutes, then she inspected the house, peering into the windows, then she went round back, i turned my infra red sensors on to see what she was doing, now she was knocking on the back door this female was persistent. Finally she gave up as she came back to the front of the house still scanning the house with her eyes she pulled out a communication relay and pressed it to her audio receptors, then she shook it in frustration.

"No signal." I heard her groan, and then she returned to her vehicle, about fraggin' time!

She drove off leaving a cloud of dust behind as Eve peeked her head around the front door, "is she gone?" she said in small voice.

"Yes." I answered.

Looking out to where she drove off from i watched her expression, she was full of concern and this woman was obviously a threat to her, she then looked me up and down and frowned at me, "you still here?!" she scowled before shutting the door again.

If i could roll my optics at her i would, she hadn't even given me a chance to ask who she was or if she herself was alright, at least there's no concern about her answering the door to strangers.

I have to admit this waiting is making me anxious, i won't know the source of whats troubling her if she's always in her house. i don't think she would allow my holoform to enter her home either, maybe i can go patrol the perimeter or something until she emerges...perhaps I'll even get to shoot something, but this place is pretty barren reminds me of our brief visit of Mars.

* * *

**A/N with M rated stories I've noticed don't show unless you select all ratings on the drop list i must be missing quite a few stories when I'm searching :S. oh and sorry for the short chapter i was originally going to combine both Ironhides and Eves pov on the same chapter but it kind of clashed with other things so ^^;  
**


	5. Questions

**Eve's POV**

As i closed the door on Ironhide, i returned to my room, stupid woman she doesn't have a pattern when she comes it's always at random, trying to catch you out. Hanging around like a blue bottled fly! But at least she's gone that's the main thing.

I looked to my side out the window, the curtains left a corner open where you could vaguely see Ironhide, he had transformed and was just standing there, well his eyes were darting around at an angle.

Hmm, he's alright i guess, as long as he keeps his distance...like say the moon? It is pretty cool that he's fighting a war, well maybe not the war bit but him fighting in general and by the looks of things he's been through allot, like his face, faded scars but they were pretty deep...i know my scars, yeah I'm weird what you gonna do about it?

I've also noticed one of his eyes are damaged or whatever he calls it, I'm really curious of how he got them but I'm not showing him I've dropped my guard a bit because it'll give him an opportunity. I then lay my head in my hand, something rubbed off onto my hand which reminded me to top up, i grabbed my table mirror and applied some foundation on, i had been using it for a while now and i was so good at it rarely people noticed, but i like to keep my face hidden just in case.

Look I'm not wearing it to look pretty or anything, I'm just trying to hide my...disgusting face; some girls wear it, (the ones who are older than me usually) when they don't really need it, but i **need **it... It scares me when I'm not wearing it, i would never go out in public without it.

Restoring my face to a normal look, i...decided to go out front, why? Because i decided to, it's not the fact that there is a giant badass robot outside it's because i made that choice so you can get that thought out of your head.

So then I sighed as it seems he wasn't going to leave, i opened the door as i peaked around the corner, he wasn't there, i stepped off the porch i still couldn't see him, you can't miss something like him, he was like a, robotic Kong.

Thinking about that image made me laugh a little, and then like on cue i heard those heavy metal footsteps come from the side of the house, Ironhide came peering his head around as he had a stupid grin on his face, made me wanna smack it off.

"So you **can** laugh?" he said somewhat amused, oh so he finds me hilarious now?

"Yeah, at your Momma!" i yelled, I'm not very good with comebacks i mainly act out because, well i can't find the words; i just can't shake off comments i have to retaliate.

Ironhide rose up both his hands as a motion of 'he means no harm'; I'll be the judge of that.

I sat on the stairs as something occurred to me, surely an alien robot can do...stuff i mean other than being an enormous size compared to humans...he'd have to be able to do something else if he's going to impress me, "hey you." I called.

"I would prefer if you called me Ironhide." He said walking closer to me.

I sighed, "Okay...Ironhide. What can you do?" i asked.

"What?" he said cocking his head to the side.

I was all sighed out as i merely explained, "you know, stuff that humans can't do."

Ironhide then grinned like a stuck up douche, "well you'll have to be a little more specific than that, as that would be a very long list."

"Everyone has their flaws but you mock my race and I'll show you **my** abilities." I threatened; I'm pretty happy with that comeback, but i don't think I'd be able to keep that promise, i-i'm not really that skilled in anything really.

"Understood." He saluted was he trying to make a joke?

"Well what are your inbuilt abilities?" i asked trying to speak nerd.

"Well, if we're talking about what humans don't have, i have sensors built for different detections, picking up on any life signals, heat, plant life for example." He said.

"Can you pick up on me?" i asked suspiciously.

"Yes." He blankly said.

"Have you been using it since you've been here?!" i then demanded as i stood up from the stairs.

"Yes, but only to check on your well being." Ironhide said he cringed slightly, as he should be.

"Don't you fucking scan me you weirdo!" i yelled at him.

"it's the only way i know for sure your okay." He said trying to be reassuring.

I groaned, as i gripped my knees, why should he care? Oh that's right because he was ordered too, still what a kiss ass. "Look, I'll tell you that I'm okay, okay? And why do you sound so grovelling?" i said.

"I'm not completely satisfied with that option and what are you implying when you say grovelling?!" He said a little louder than usual, i grinned to the fact i had struck a nerve, "I'll have you know if i was acting as my normal self, I'd make you cry." He said in a babyish voice.

"Wanna bet? And another thing T.S! If i say I'm okay, I'm okay you got that?" i said, as he grinned at me again, why does he always do that when I'm defending myself here, is he taking the piss? "The hell you smilin' at?" i then asked.

He then shook his head lightly, "nothing...i just think your interesting." He then said.

"Interesting how?" i said throwing him an unconvinced expression.

"Just interesting, i can't explain it at the moment." He just said.

I sighed again as i sat down, his weird behavior tires me out. We both sat in silence for a while, he mainly stared at me i couldn't tell what kind of stare because he had no expression on his face, and it changes like the wind, but whatever.

"Eve, where's your Sire?" he then asked.

"My what?" i said pulling a disgusted face.

"Your Father." He corrected.

I pulled a frown again, as i looked at the ground, "none of your business." I hissed, i was feeling alright just sat here talking, mentioning reality got me bitter again, just get over it he's not here, i can take care of myself unlike other kids who need Mommy and Daddy to read them a story...and hold them at night when they get scared...and how they tell you that they love you more than life itself...

Not realizing i had got myself in a bit of a dream like state; Ironhides voice made me jump slightly.

"I know it's not my place, but he should be here taking care of you." He argued that voice of sympathy, the type of tone i hate, i hear it from the teachers, the police, even Uncle Will.

"Look, he's busy and i understand that can we just leave it at that? And for your information i can look after myself just fine." I said slightly hesitant, as i faced the ground again, "i like what's happening now, not worrying about what I'm scared of."

"And what are you afraid of Eve?" he asked once more.

Maybe i would share that with him further down the line but not just yet, or i might not...well oh i don't know! Stop falling head over heels Eve! Everyone is a potential threat even my friends i won't give anyone a chance to hurt me. "Your face." Was my response, though it was said in a solemn tone. "No more questions please, about anything else." I said in a more serious tone.

Ironhide sighed, "I won't force you, but i hope you will talk to me eventually."

I fell silent, "i-i'm going to go to bed now." I said before heading for the front door and before opening it...

"Eve, know that i will be standing guard...and I'm not leaving until you come with me." Ironhide said to me a bit **too** casual.

"What?" i questioned as if i misheard or something.

"You're not happy here." He said bluntly.

"And what do you know? I barely know you and now you want to take me home like some God damn pet human!" i yelled.

"I know your situation enough, the suicide, your paranoia, your inability to communicate with your own kind." He ranted as his voice grew louder.

I grew hesitant as i thought up an answer, "well...maybe i...**like** my privacy." I stuttered.

"So much so you'd try to kill yourself?" he said his voice grew with anger...h-he better stop.

"I-I'm fucked in the head okay?!" i yelled again, i felt the need to cry, God dammit why can't i control that!?

"And this is you talking is it?" he said, again in an angry tone...i backed off a bit at his sudden mood swing.

"Yes, i hate myself; everything that has happened in my life is from my own doing, its, my fault!" I yelled back again as i pressed myself against my front door.

"How?" Ironhide said with a hateful expression, why doesn't he shut up?!

"Questions, questions! Is that all you do?! Just get this through your head or whatever the hell you call it! I'm...not...go-ing." I said as i breathed heavily from the arguing, i could hear my own heart beat and the sudden rush made me shake, but Ironhide didn't even finch.

"Then i will remain here, until that outcome changes." He then said very calmly...seriously, how is he able to change emotions so fast...I'm glad he did though he was starting...to scare me.

"Well you're going to wait a **long** time." I said bitterly, as again i slammed the door behind him again, after i was about to loosen up slightly, he goes in for the kill, go with him he says, to where exactly a children's home? That would make sense, "oh Eve your situations so terrible, well it bloody is now!" i yelled for him to hear as i tried mimicking him.

I have a feeling he's going to pester me into going with him, maybe even try to be 'friends' with me...well i can endure all that he has to give. I know lies, i know deceit, and i know disappointment, so don't spit on my cupcake and call it icing!

* * *

**A/N the next chapters I'm going upload are going to be named as 'the long and awkward road to friendship part 1' etc. with an added secondary title.**


	6. The Long Road to Friendship: Thunder

**A/N these will be relatively short chapters, everyday occurrences which i don't want to drag out :)  
**

* * *

**The long and awkward road to friendship part 1 – Thunder.**

**Eve's POV**

It was night time and i lay in my bed as i heard the strong rain beat against the roof of my house, the rain itself was so loud that's why i'm still awake...i wonder if ironhide can take the rain? He probably can look after himself i mean if he can't handle a bit of rain he might as well leave this planet now.

I then sat up betraying myself with that thought as i looked out the window, ironhide hadn't even seeked shelter, it was pathetically painful to watch as i rolled my eyes, with a huge sigh i hopped out of bed as i opened the front door he could've just asked i would prefer it if he were in the garage anyway instead of just sitting there all the time.

the wind was pretty strong as i had a hard time holding the door and due to my long hair it was hard to see too.

I pushed against the wind as i headed towards the garage door, i didn't need any keys just a certain kick in a certain area and it shot open, i pushed my hair out of my face as i was instantly drenched, i motioned to ironhide to get in the garage already...he did so as i followed him in.

"Eve what are you doing out here? Return to your home." He ordered.

"It was really hard to watch you out in the rain, you looked so pathetic." I argued.

"I can handle the environment unlike yourself, you're soaked through and your cold, you're going to get sick, I've recently researched your human anatomy and biology wind and rain isn't advisable for your core temperature as well as your immune system ." He said, oh man he's speaking nerd again.

"No i wont i just need to dry off." I said the wind picked up even more as i had to raise my voice over it.

"If you get in my cab i can dry you off faster with the air-con." He said, with a manipulative voice.

I scoffed, "no way child catcher, i'm not buying any candy from you." it was hard trying to hold back the teeth chattering as the winds chills got more intense.

Then i saw a flash that engulfed my home, lightning and when there was lightning w-what followed next is always... ***BOOOMMMM!***

Thunder! By instinct i threw myself into Ironhides cab as he shut the door behind me, i hate thunder why is it so loud and pissed off all the time? Between staying away from ironhide and thunder, thunder is something to deal with first beyond anything else. I curled myself up on Ironhides seat as i shook with fear uncontrollably, he turned the air-con on as my hair, cloths and skin dripped with water, i wasn't focused on anything else but that horrible sound, the fear itself caused me to let out a few whimpers, by accident stupid weak mind toughen up already!

"Eve. Thunder can't harm you; it's the lightning you have to be concerned about." Ironhide said matter of factually...if he was trying to make me feel better he was failing, badly. And he must have known this somehow as he then stuttered something, "i-i mean neither will harm you, you have two layers of shielding protecting you." He then added.

I was so unconvinced, as i couldn't talk and my shaking hadn't improved, i looked around my environment as i covered my ears for another sound of thunder erupted, Ironhides seat were so much bigger in comparison to me, it was pretty high to the roof too, then i noticed the front window became tinted black, as a light came on inside, all windows in fact became dark.

Another struck of thunder came again as i threw myself to the backseats, instinctively again as you want to get as far away from the source as possible though the thunder was not as loud as before. Which was kind of reassuring it kind of felt it couldn't get in here, to be honest i felt much safer in here then my bedroom.

I lay myself down on the seats, again i looked around, ironhide was huge inside and out, but where i was now made me go fuzzy inside, i had no idea what set it off, but it made me want to snuggle my head into the seats which i did...they were so much cosier then my bed which i wouldn't expect it from a truck, and i sank into them like memory foam, the whole inside itself was now pretty warm from the air-con, which tempted me to sleep.

"There ya go." I heard ironhide say quietly, but i forced myself awake as i lay there frowning instead i saw ironhides front mirror adjust itself as i now saw my own reflection, that is just creepy. the comfortable seats made me forget who i was taking shelter in...As soon as the storm passes I'm heading straight back into the house.

**Ironhide POV**

After the comment i had made i could tell she was now trying to force herself awake, but her plan failed in less than twenty seconds for she had already rolled onto her other side, she was curled up tightly, in comparison to me she was very small and vulnerable despite her intense personality, and she had those common fears many have when so young, what they don't understand and loud things they can't see.

A constant reminder that she's still a kid, she's such a tough little girl though, her defensive ways are humorous to me, but at the same time it's sad for she has to look out for herself because no one else will nor will she let them. I'm glad eve offered shelter, i myself would never had asked for her aid, if i can't even take care of myself how am i supposed to prove to eve that i am highly capable of protecting her? From what though I'm unsure but for the time being let's just say herself.

It had only been a day and a half and already there have been arguments, how do i say anything to her without upsetting her? Perhaps little things like this can give me the recognition i need, after all the next morning when she awakes she'll know i can be trusted if i were truly going to harm her wouldn't she think i would've done so by now? No it doesn't work like that, sometimes someone will get you to trust them so they can betray you in turn...trust is a complicated thing.

besides I'm no good with words, Optimus would've known what to say, he seems to be alright with Ellen, then again that took a couple of months to adjust to, can i really afford being out of action for that long? Eve needs commitment; she's not like my cannons where you take them out whenever you need them.

Still she's much more highly strung then Ellen, Optimus got along with her much better then i could with eve, perhaps i should stop trying so hard to get on her good side and just act myself, she implied i sounded grovelling before, **me** grovelling, i guess what eve needs is someone who can take charge, someone who rules with an iron fist a particular human phrase I'm quite fond of, and someone to put her in her place with just the right amount of force otherwise she'd play you like a fool...well that's my theory anyway.

She sleeps peacefully now as the storm has passed and only droplets of water could be heard outside, she stirred slightly from time to time and groaned, i wrapped a seat belt around her just to comfort her and as it held her like a gentle embrace she had a tiny smile on her face, for maybe in her dreams she can feel someone is holding her, and i hope its me.


	7. The Long Road to Friendship: Shopping

**The Long and Awkward Road to friendship part 2 – Shopping**

**Eve's POV**

Now this was different, a morning stretch and i feel...refreshed, i sleepily rubbed my eyes as i sunk into the comfort of my bed i turned over on my back as i stared at the ceiling...no wait not ceiling car roof, i immediately sat up as it all came back to me from last night's events...so i didn't make it back to my room huh?

And what's this? The pulling on my chest revealed to me i had a seatbelt around me, i don't remember putting a seatbelt on...unless...oh! He's a sneaky bastard!

**Third Person POV**

Eve tried to be subtle about exiting Ironhide, but that failed before she could even open the door. "Good morning Eve." Ironhide greeted.

"Uh, yeah." She said awkwardly.

"Are you going to prepare yourself for 'school'?" He asked.

"Um, Ironhide i think you need to read up on 'weekends'." Eve said in a somewhat laugh.

Ironhide was silent for a while until he finally spoke, "ah, i see, no school." He said in understanding.

"Hold on, how did you manage to find that out?" Eve inquired raising an eyebrow.

"I can access your primitive form of information access." He put it simply.

"oh, the internet" she blankly said in a rough translation, though secretly she was impressed, Eve then hopped out of Ironhides cab as she was greeted with a puddle under her feet, "oh man, the water must have got in." She moaned as she followed the drips that fell into the huge puddle, the garage roof had a hole in it. "Great this place is falling apart."

She then opened the garage door as Ironhide stopped her, "where are you going?" he inquired.

"Well stuff in the cupboards getting...fuzzy, so I'm gonna go shopping." She said, that night's sleep must have improved her attitude for she had no insults to give Ironhide.

"Shopping?" Ironhide said as though someone had spray painted him pink.

"Yeah, where people buy stuff like food." Eve said still her tone was calm and casual and had the patience to answer Ironhides questions this time.

"Well that answered my question to if you hunt or not." Ironhide said.

"There are still hunters you know, just not as many as wall-mart shoppers." Eve joked.

"Where is the closest, er..." Ironhide started.

"Supermarket, About ten miles from here." Eve said casually before heading inside her house.

"Hmph, humans are pretty boring...i was hoping to see one of them take down a...a...Mojo." Ironhide said to himself the grudge he held against that canine would never cease it seems, "now **that **would be interesting and** my** kind of observation." He said pretty pleased.

Eve eventually came back out with a twenty dollar bill rolled up in her hand, nothing more, nothing less.

"How are you able to uphold an income?" Ironhide asked.

"I see you've been doing your research nosey, well anyway Uncle Will sends me letters, even when he's home, i don't know maybe he figured that i don't really have anything to save up so even though I'm not for charity he knows i can't give it back because he's not here, but I'm all for taking opportunities so his loss i guess." She said as she started walking towards the driveway.

"Don't you require transportation?" Ironhide hinted.

"Nope, i usually walk along the motorway to the nearest place." She explained.

As she said that life threatening piece of information Ironhide drove out in front of her. She sighed, if eve was feeling patient before she won't be now. "What now?" she huffed.

"I'll take you." He insisted.

"No, I'm going on my own." She said as she passed him by, eyes closed to regain her patience she really hoped this wasn't one of those situations where he wouldn't drop it and leave it alone.

"So be it." Ironhide said, though the way he said that got Eve worried... it **was** going to be that kind of situation.

* * *

Eve was walking on the side of the motorway, horns blaring but not at her no, but at Ironhide who was going about three miles an hour trailing behind her, even in his vehicle mode you could tell he could care less about the overtaking vehicles.

"Will you go back your embarrassing me" Eve hissed under her breath as she cupped a hand over her face.

"Wherever you go, i go." Ironhide said referring back to his normal ways of speaking.

"You look like a god damn stalker! What if the police see you and pull you over? I don't want to attract attention you're making things worse!" she yelled.

"If you weren't so stubborn perhaps i wouldn't be doing this." Ironhide argued smugly.

"No, if **you **weren't so stubborn both of us would be spared of this." Eve retaliated.

Both fell silence as the horns continued and the cursing of drivers continued, Eve sighed in defeat, "fine i guess i have to be the bigger person in this, just stop going so God damn slow already!" Eve spat as Ironhide opened his doors for her.

"Was that such a challenge?" Ironhide said patronizing.

"It's only a challenge when **you** don't get **your** own way." Eve accused kicking his dash board.

"..."

"don't deny it, i like to get my own way too...but since you got your way this time, i will find a way to make up for that." she said.

Ironhide chuckled mockingly, "how? You can't break me." He stated arrogantly.

"You'll see...bastard." Eve huffed folding her arms but then grinning evilly.

* * *

After the situation of explaining to Ironhide the purpose of a car park and not stopping where you please they were finally at the supermarket, Eve swiftly got out of Ironhide as she lifted the collar part of her top slightly over her face for the shear shame of the situation. Ironhide had activated his holoform as well much to Eves delight, "what, are you doing?" she said letting go of her top.

"I'm going to accompany you." He confirmed.

Eve scoffed, "um no you're not."

"Yes i am, and you have no authority to tell me otherwise." He said lifting his head smugly.

Eve growled through her teeth, "God i hate you so much!" she announced stomping toward the shop swinging her arms back and forth in a charging motion.

"The feelings neutral you little monster." He said teasingly, this made Eve stop as she looked him over, this wasn't him from earlier and he wasn't trying to get on her good side, it was genuine, not grovelling. But she merely turned her head again as she made her way back to the shop still enthusing her frustration.

Ironhide followed still with a smug look on his face, Eve had gotten ahead of him making it look like she wasn't with him, the automatic doors had opened for them both and after a sly comment about primitive human technology Ironhide speed walked after Eve as she speedily went down a specific isle, the staff members were eyeing him up suspiciously as he stared back giving them a hard stare, Eve saw this and rolled her eyes, she went over to him and grabbed his arm, "Will you stop looking like a stalker." She scolded quietly.

"How do i look like a 'stalker'?" he said rather loudly.

"Shhhh! God your embarrassing just hold this basket so i can grab the things i need and we can get the hell outta here." She said forcefully giving him the basket, he held it like a cardboard box and looked just as alien as he did in the store as he did his true form.

Nonetheless he followed Eve, taking in his surroundings he found everything to be compacted together, like the car park it encouraged the fact that this world was very small, he was snapped from his thoughts as Eve forcefully threw any brand of certain items into the basket, so far it was bread and cereal. "Are these really essentials?" Ironhide asked furrowing his holoform's brow.

"Yes." Eve breathed out.

He looked over the contents, white bread and coco flavored corn puffs. "The 'wholemeal' bread looks more refined in ingredients, like Energon...why go for the raw materials?" he asked looking over the ingredients.

"Becausssse this one's cheaper, it's all good eating healthy but if i can only afford bread it doesn't really balance out that much." She argued, and she somewhat blushed admitting you can't afford certain things is a dent in her pride, though Ironhide wouldn't know this but nonetheless she couldn't help it.

"I'll get it." He then offered.

"You haven't got any money." Eve said wrinkling up her nose.

"Major Lennox left his 'wallet' in my glove compartment." He said with a grin pulling out a wallet out of his back pockets.

"You stole from my Uncle?" Eve said giving him a hard stare.

"Not stolen, just acquiring necessary funding, I'm sure he'll return for it sooner or later." He said grinning more widely.

Eve continued to give him a hard stare before smiling slightly, "fair argument, let's have a look." She said reaching a hand out for the wallet before Ironhide retracted it out of her reach.

"I'll handle the funds...and the shopping." He then announced.

"Are you fucking with me?" she hissed throwing her arms down as some people glanced their way.

"I'll decide what to get, from now on I'll be making **all** these decisions." Ironhide blankly announced.

"i-i...wait what?" she said utterly speechless from his sudden uprising on her life.

"You can scream, you can curse, you can act out against me but that will change nothing, you need boundaries and i intend to pass that, do you understand?" he stated matter of factually.

Eve was at the peak of anger and did want to lash out, even throw some kind of tantrum but instead she didn't know what to do, no one has spoken to her that way, most adults have spoken to her as if they fear her, so she thought she'd take advantage of that. No one has laid down the law before...she kind of had a feeling of, respect for him.

"Okay whatever less work for me." She huffed leaning up against the biscuits.

"Come on then." He said and oddly put out a hand for her, (though he was only joking)

She looked at it in disgust, "you can fuck, right off." She said slapping it away.

"And another thing we need to cut down this bad habit of swearing." He said.

"Or what?" she asked.

"Or I'll hug you." He said with a devilish grin.

"Oh Mary mother of God! Okay, okay!...I-I'll, try, I'll try." She said as she shuddered, "Slagger." She added under her breath.

"What was that?" he said spinning around to her.

"Nothing." She said calmly, her lying skills were unmatched when she needed to.

thought he raised at eyebrow at her, "Good." he said suspiciously, "Now...do humans consume this stuff?" he said holding up bottle of bleach.

Eve face palmed.

* * *

Finally getting to the checkout Ironhide looked lost with the whole situation of the conveyer belt and queuing though Eve painfully helped him like you would a confused senior citizen, she started to pack a single bag of the essentials though when she would look at what she was packing to her most of it was rabbit food. After everything was scanned and packed she noticed the young woman behind the till glance at her a few times, "you're good for helping your Dad out." She finally said.

Misinformation like that was also something that got Eve's back up again especially mistaking Ironhide for **her** Dad, "He's not my Dad!" Eve responded loudly, "you need to keep your mouth shut about stuff you don't know!" she added picking up the bag.

"S-Sorry" the woman stuttered ringing up the total price as her fingers pressed buttons frantically.

"Eve." Ironhide scowled "she has performed her task efficiently; she has done no wrong in making a mistake and deserves an apology." He said though he was on her side with the fact that it was not her place to make such a comment, but how is he meant to show an example by praising such behavior. the whole queue was now focused on her, which she didn't like her frown turned to a stunned look as she felt put on the spot.

"N-No." She said looking past the stares and giving Ironhide a hard stare again.

"I-Its fine it's not a problem" the till woman stuttered.

Ironhide raised a hand to her, "no even if you are an ignorant glitch her behaviour was unacceptable." He said as the till worker awkwardly twiddled with her fingers. "Eve say you're sorry."

"Why should..." she started eyes closed with her hands on her hips and posing with attitude at him.

"Now!" he sternly stated in a yell, losing his temper in that brief moment.

This made Eve jump and her eyes widened with fear, she held her arms around her as she backed off slightly, her mouth hung slightly as all eyes looked at her as well as Ironhide, she put her head down...humiliated. "S-Sorry." She said quietly in any direction.

"t-that's okay." The woman behind the till said slightly sympathetic of her feelings.

Eve revealed her face a little to Ironhide as she looked at him with disgust again but with a tiny bit of fear, if she ever felt any regret of what she was planning all this time, all that was washed away the moment of her humiliation as she threw her head back suddenly and screamed, "Help! This guys a pedophile!"

Ironhides face went shocked but confused, what's a pedophile?

But nonetheless everyone took Eves side as that word was taboo and the mere mention of it got anyone on edge, as the till woman shot him a disgusting glare, "Urgh, You sicko!" the woman who seemingly looked the friendly type turned nasty in an instant.

"Restrain him!" announced one of the people in the queue.

"Huh?!" Ironhide said baffled.

Two men and a woman tackled him to the ground as they held him down, then an older woman whacked him with her purse, meanwhile Eve gave him a sneaky wave as she grabbed her stuff and turned to the woman at the till with a hang dog expression, "he has a black top kick truck outside, w-what if he came after me?" Eve said mock crying.

"I'll let his tires down!" the till woman said Eve wasn't exactly expecting her to say that but it was creative. She joined Eve in escorting her out, "stay here we can help you." She said kneeling down to her, Eve rolled her eyes.

"If it's okay, I'd like to return to my Mom and Dad, I'm a little shook up i was only coming here to get a few things for my Mom since she's broke her leg." Eve said in an innocent voice.

"Of course, you really are a good girl aren't you?" she said to her sympathetically.

"Thanks, well i better get home now." Eve said before running off with a wide smile on her face.

The till worker approached Ironhides real form as she picked up a brick, she then threw it at Ironhides front window, Ironhides holoform eyes flashed with horror as he continued to get the scrap beating out of him by an old lady. The woman then proceeded to let down his tires, "that's it!" Ironhide announced as he deactivated his holoform, the shoppers were shocked though instead of logic they came to a chilling conclusion.

"He's escaping in his truck!" yelled the old woman as a mob of people ran outside.

Just as the woman was about to let down a second tire Ironhide roared to life as he revved up aggressively, the woman gasped slightly as she fell back. She didn't see him come out, nor did she see him get in the vehicle, with being on the floor she couldn't see who was driving, "w-what?" was all she could get out.

Leaving the woman in shock Ironhide skidded out of the exit leaving tire marks on the floor and smoke, but not until the mob of shoppers threw vegetables and power tools at his base making numerous marks and deep dents. His front window was shattered to pieces and his driving was one sided, "that sneaky little slagger!" he growled. "I hate humans!" he announced as his mirrors revealed his base dripping with the juice from fruit and vegetables.

Not that far from Ironhide Eve was still running though she knew he would be on her tail soon, and the sound of screeching tyres made her panic, "shit!" she exclaimed as the harsh blare of horns meant Ironhide didn't care for traffic lights on red.

"Uh, uh..." Eve said flashing her head around for a hiding spot, then above her was the old bridge, "that'll work." She said as she climbed herself up one of the pillars although a bit big around, Eve shuffled herself up if it was one thing she was an expert in, it was surviving. She was now at the point where all the other pillars were connected by a supporting pillar; she sat herself just there swinging her legs in the air as she was now positive of her own safety.

She was at a height and it was out of Ironhides reach, speaking of Ironhide he had definitely caught sight of her as he swerved to an angle and revved angrily at her, "you come down right now!" he yelled at her still in his alt mode.

"No way!" she protested.

Ironhide transformed upon protest even though he was in plain sight, "why did you do that?!" he demanded.

"Because you yelled at me!" she called back.

"You yell yourself, what's the difference?" Ironhide asked slightly not as angry as before.

"Because yelling always means it's my fault and pain always follows" She said with a slight break in her voice.

Hearing this Ironhide by instinct did what he normally does..."What pain?!" yelling without thinking.

"You're shouting again!" she yelled back.

Ironhide tried to calm himself as he vented his frustration, he held his helm tightly as he grinded his jaw and expelled all that inner rage, he then toned his voice down, "i'm sorry i didn't mean to raise my voice, i'm just concerned to hear that someone's hurting you." He said.

"Who said anyone's hurting me?!" Eve then said defensively, "I was speaking, um?"

"Metaphorically?" Ironhide suggested.

"Yeah." She confirmed.

Though he wasn't convinced, "okay Eve i believe you, now, will you come down now?" he said in a begging voice, the height she was at nearly scared him, **almost **nearly. She shook her head wildly as she clinged to the pillar more tightly, "Eve please, i would never hurt you, no matter how angry i could've got, I'd curse you to the pit but never harm you." He pleaded; now he **was **regretting that he yelled at her...yelling usually means pain...

"How am i supposed to know your telling the truth?" she asked.

"You don't." He said, "You'll just have to trust your own instinct Eve, do you really think i would get anything out of harming a little girl?" he said giving her a long stare in her eyes.

Eve looked him up and down, he sounded genuine... "I-I'll come down, but you stay there!" she said her confidence in him being knocked down a notch.

"Only if you require assistance." He said.

Eve found her footing as she attempted to get herself down, "this is much harder getting down then up." She moaned.

"Do you want me to get you down?" Ironhide said slightly stepping forward.

"No! Just stay there, don't you come near me!" she said defensively knowing she was unable to multi task in observing his movements, she was at a disadvantage this way.

"Easy, easy." He said taking a step back in respect to her wishes but he was still alert.

"See? I'm fine, why...do i need...you, around?" she said as she couldn't talk and climb down at the same time, Eve took about five steps down and the pole was not built for grip as she lost her footing and that was enough to pull her down to Earth. She gasped as she fell backwards, Ironhide in response stepped forward as he held out two hands for her, her fall wasn't much of a fall as Ironhides height just about made that reach where she had fallen.

She lay in his palms as she rubbed her head recovering from the shock, when she came to her senses Ironhides face had came into view as she noticed her current position.

Eve immediately panicked, "putmedownputmedown!" she hollered.

Ironhide placed her on the ground as she wiped herself down as though she were dirty, "don't you ever touch me again!"

"Eve calm down. I wasn't going to hurt you, if hadn't caught you, you would've died." He stated though he felt as though she saw him as a monster and he lowered his optics to the floor in thought of this. but he then looked at his hands, he could barely feel her weight in his palms he hadn't become accustomed to handling humans but what he could feel was how delicate she was, very small...

Eve breathed heavily as she saw his reaction she relaxed her frowning expression as she felt slightly guilty, "i-i don't like being touched...it's not just you." She said trying to be convincing.

"Is this in relation to the 'pain'" he asked.

"I just don't like it, and i told you, i was speaking metaphorically." Eve said defensively again.

"_Hmmm seems things have just got complicated, just when i thought everything was going satisfactory another problem arises, i may need to refer to Ratchet about human behavior perhaps his research is more refined by now" _He thought.

With that thought Eve had gotten herself to calm down as she came to terms that it was only by circumstance that he was forced to intervene, "Come on Ironhide." she said surprisingly friendly as she turned her back to him, he looked at her, then to his hands again, he smiled to himself to the thought that maybe he could hold her again, he may cause her to fall from great heights on purpose.

This had lifted his mood a little overall, "Eve before we head back did you notice what you packed?" he asked.

"Not really i was too busy plotting against you." She said grinning.

"Yes...well anyway i have noticed you lack mental stimulation...s-so i got you something." He said as he looked to the side acting though he wasn't bothered.

Eve frowned slightly in suspicion but intrigued nonetheless she went and dug through the bags making a bit of mess at the same time, she had apparently found the right bag and pulled out a husky cuddly toy, "it's...erm, a-a husky." She said wide eyed.

"I was unsure of what children find intriguing so i took a guess, is it...okay?" he asked.

Being an animal lover there were one particular animal she favoured, dogs mainly large breed of dog, she trailed a hand down the dogs head as she'd dreamed one day to have a dog of her own, "Okay? I-I love him." She said holding him close.

"I don't think an inanimate object has a gender Eve." Ironhide said a little concerned she couldn't comprehend reality.

She shook her head lightly in amusement, "It doesn't matter, wow he's so soft...you know I've never known the feeling of holding a cuddly animal" She said opening herself up as she held her husky, "...pretty stupid huh?" she said looking at her feet.

"No it's not stupid" he said.

she then looked at him intrigued, "you know, no one's stuck it out this long with me before, i mean I've thrown abuse at you, gotten you mauled by shoppers, but you got me this i-i kind of feel bad." She said.

"I know you don't mean it, you're just looking out for yourself i can relate with that...At one time." He said.

"At one time?" Eve said.

"Yes but I changed...and you can change too Eve, you don't have to act this way." Ironhide said.

"And give people the chance to stab me in the back? No chance...please Ironhide try to understand." She said.

"I do, but that's why you have friends to cover your back." He said as he smiled at her, her lip twitched slightly but she managed to smile sadly at him. "Shall we head back?" he said.

"Sure, this time I'll let ya escort me." She said cheerfully.

"Just so you know the ride won't be as smooth and there will be no need for my air-con." He said slightly raising an eyebrow at her and tapping a foot.

"y-yeah sorry about that...you look...colorful though" Eve said shuffling her feet and scratching her head.

"Well I'll have to go to base for repairs...which means you'll be coming too." He said with a grin but secretly didn't want to use that option but maybe bringing Eve along will be interesting...in fact he can introduce her to Ratchet.

"Da fuck?!" was Eves response.

* * *

**A/N i don't like leaving things unfinished so I'm gonna focus on getting this done before anything else :)**


	8. The Long Road to Friendship: Base

**The long and awkward road to friendship – Base **

Ironhide had taken eve home to stock up the cupboards and give herself something to eat before they head off again to base, all through the journey from the shops to eve's house was eve's refusal to go and now that she was home she wasn't going to budge.

"No way am i going to your weird stalking vehicle club! no! no!...no,no,no...no! hell no! no, i refuse, no!" she pouted at him.

"It will be a quick stop, the repairs will be quick and i only need to give Optimus a debriefing as well as an update myself." He explained.

"How many more are there of you?" she asked scrunching her nose.

"Well including myself as well as the twins and the Arcee triplets who arrived recently, twelve." He confirmed.

"Twelve?!" She exclaimed.

"Is that too much for ya?" he said teasingly.

"No!" she protested before twiddling her fingers and shuffling her feet "...you know how i am around strangers...and i don't think i could take them all on." She said.

Ironhide snickered at the thought of eve taking down an autobot, "Just stay close to me if you feel that way." Eve scoffed at the idea, "but i definitely give you my full confidence in Optimus, and ratchet." He said.

"And the other nine aren't?!" she exclaimed.

"No,no,no i mean...well" ironhide then thought about the twins how on many occasions have nearly killed a few humans through there own carelessness. "...just stay close to me." He repeated.

"Forget it, i'm not going." She said turning her back on him.

Ironhide then thought, "would it make you feel better if i told you another human youngling is occupying our base?" he asked.

"Another human kid?" she asked still with her back to him.

"Her name is Ellen Robertson." He said.

"Ellen?! Squeaker?!" she said excited.

"By your reaction i take it you know her?" he said, he had his suspicions since there was no purpose for Optimus to have sent him here, but Ellen might have. _"Optimus spoils her." _

Eve then calmed herself as she cleared her throat "Yeah, yeah, she's one of few people i actually like even though she's a wuss but i know that i can sleep at night knowing she wouldn't kill me." Eve scoffed.

"You like her, yet you insult her?" ironhide questioned.

"I-i'm only joking, and well she isn't a...wuss, it's just she's too nice." She said trying to explain.

"Too nice?" he said confused.

"Yeah as well as dopey, i like her but i'm just worried that the world will treat her like a fool, because she always thinks everyone's cool." Eve said. "But not everyone is cool..."

"Ah i understand, you try and be harsh towards her so she doesn't suffer in the future." Ironhide said in understanding.

"Yes! B-but i...like to think of her as a friend...but the way i treat her, could i really call myself her friend?" she said.

"I know your trying with good intentions but don't go too far just once and while subtly show that you care...you may end up driving her away if you remain cold." he said.

"Yeah, so that's a no then." She said as she placed her hands in her pockets, there was now silence between them as a faint breeze drifted over, "i guess i should be nicer..."

"So why squeaker?" ironhide then interrupted.

"Huh?" she said.

"Before you said, 'Ellen' then 'squeaker'." Ironhide said, "Is that a sound effect humans put on the end of their sentences?"

"No, it's the nickname i came up with for her." She said.

"Nicknames, what describes someone most or describes their abilities?" ironhide asked.

"Uh, Yeah." She said.

"And Ellen is squeaker because...?" he said encouraging an answer.

"Seriously? Have you not heard her voice? She sounds like one of the chipmunks." Eve said though she didn't mean it as an insult.

"The high frequency of her voice is what gave her the name?" He said

"Yeah, whatever." She said.

"So...will you go now?" he said.

Eve thought for a moment before speaking shuffling her leg behind her other leg, one part of her said yes and the other said no. "Y-yeah...but how come Ellen..."

"You can ask those questions when we get there." He stopped her, he wasn't going to sit there and explain it all, the feeling of mushy tomatoes in his grill makes him cringe.

* * *

Getting to the nest wasn't difficult, there was a long bridge that was connected to the island from the main land's so not to waste a plane trip, though he doesn't think he could convince eve to get on one even if he tried. Ironhide drove up to the clearance section but the security check got eve on edge, "ironhide, those guys aren't going to search me are they?" she asked sliding down his seats.

"I've contacted Optimus; Major Lennox should be approaching or position to give us clearance without normal protocol." He said as the men stood down at a single flick of Wills hand.

"Still they come near me I'll beat them down." She threatened clenching a fist.

"Come on ironhide I've been able to get passage for eve." Will called with both hands cupped over his mouth as though ironhide were deaf.

"You can exit now." Ironhide told her.

She tensed up a little, "Y-you're not going a-anywhere are you?" she said.

"No I will be right here, I'm just going to transform, i haven't really practiced transforming with a human passenger yet, not that i would want to either." He said.

"Yeah nice story granddad" She sarcastically said getting herself out of the driver's seat.

The men behind her made her glare at them as they merely grinned at her mockingly, "what you smiling at fucker?" she said throwing her arms down.

"Eve." Will called jogging up to her, "leave my men alone, they can't handle you." He jested.

"Yeah well if i were you I'd slap those stupid grins off their faces." She announced before going to a more casual tone, "so this is where you work now?" she asked intrigued to how surprisingly spacious the place was, like a giant basketball court.

"Yes, I'm guessing ironhide gave you an update?" he said, giving a look in Ironhides direction.

"Yeah, yeah killing decepticons all good." She said waving it off.

Ironhide was already fully transformed at this point as he shrugged at will as he himself was giving him a unimpressed expression.

"Eve would you mind letting me talk to ironhide for a moment?" he asked.

"I'm not going more than three meters away from him." she stated.

"Why?" he said slightly confused that she wants to be around him.

"Don't like this place, full of freaks, so if something goes wrong I'll be using Godzilla as a shield." She said looking at the soldiers for any sudden movement.

"Fine." He sighed getting straight to the point. "Ironhide why did you bring eve here?" he then said, ironhide had already contacted base for repairs but at the same time revealing he had already shown himself to eve and asking to bring her with him. Only Will was surprised.

"I wasn't going to leave her at home alone." He said.

"You mean her old man still hasn't come back?!" he said raising his voice.

"No." He confirmed.

"This is it then, I'll have to call social services." He said throwing his hands to his sides, much to eve's horror and ironhide didn't like this announcement either.

"nonono! You can't! Please Uncle Will you can't call social services!" she yelled scraping her fingernails into his pants.

"Eve you're not being taken care of." He said rubbing a hand down his face.

"I can take care of myself!" She screamed.

"I know you think you can but you can't!" He stated more sternly.

Eve wandered around in panic she ran her fingers threw her hair as she made a series of 'uh's' in an attempt to think straight until she found a solution staring her in the face, ironhide. "B-but but Ironhides there now, he'll tell you if i'm not in perfect health, tell him ironhide, tell him." She pleaded.

"It has improved, in a mere couple of days." He said.

"Ironhide your there for observation that's not the same." He argued.

"But it's been more than that, w-we've just been shopping and i had a good night sleep last night." She said.

"Shopping? And a whole night's sleep?" will said surprised.

"Yeah, yeah see things are fine just please don't call those people." She begged.

"Well..." will started.

"Even if you refused I'd have to silence you myself." Ironhide said as a threat and as a joke.

Will scratched his head in frustration, "Well you seem very calm today and you do seem healthier...let's keep this to ourselves for the time being...Galloway isn't exactly pleased that there is one human hanging around base as it is." Will said.

"Galloway?! That meat bags here?!" ironhide yelled though eve snickered.

"He comes often ironhide...best not let him see eve at this point." Will said.

"See her, if i get him in my range he won't **see **his own grandchildren! Argh! He's been a real shrapnel in my aft lately!" he yelled.

"Yes...well just try to restrain yourself." Will said as another man called him over, "I'll try to see you off later." He said jogging off, eve gave a short wave.

Eve then sniggered at ironhide again, "and what is so funny?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, mister calm at my place and mister authoritive but when you're here you seem to be showing your true colours...your funny like this." She said.

"You have an odd kind of humor." Ironhide declared.

"I have odd tastes, especially in personalities it looks like." She said grinning.

"Oh so i have an odd personality do i?" he said as he started walking towards a building with eve hot on his heels.

"Not odd...interesting on first impression you can seem quite intimidation especially when you open your mouth but i like it." She said.

"Well i guess we have something in common." He said.

"Yeah..." She said nervously as they came to large open door she stopped.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We're here already and I'm not prepared." She said.

"It's going to be fine." He said.

Then eve felt a booming sound of footsteps approach as she ran behind Ironhides foot in hiding, ironhide looked down at her as she peaked around. "Don't be frightened." He said.

"Shut up!" she protested, "I'm not frightened, i'm wary." She corrected sticking her nose in the air.

Ironhide shook his head, as Optimus came down into view making his way over to ironhide, eve peered around from Ironhides leg, _"fuck me, he's a beast!" _she mentally screamed.

"Greetings old friend, i understand you are in need of repairs?" he spoke; his booming voice ran through eve like a double bass stereo.

"Indeed prime." He confirmed looking himself over in disgust.

"Did you encounter decepticons?" he then said seriously.

"W-well something similar." He said motioning to his leg.

Optimus tilted his head to the side as eve let out a little gasp as she retracted her head back round ironhide, "is this...Eve?" he asked.

"_Oh god he knows my name." _Eve mentally panicked.

"Yes, though she is a little wary of strangers." He said.

"I see." He said as he knelt down, there was silence for a while and eve couldn't help but take a peak again, she was now in view of Optimus who was smiling at her. "Hello eve." He spoke gently.

She frowned at him slightly, "are you not going to come out?" he asked.

She shook her wildly, then ironhide intervened, "Optimus is Ellen's guardian, well technically adopted father." He said.

"Adopted father? So this is the dude she talks about at school?" she said looking up to ironhide but avoiding eye contact with Optimus.

"What does she say about me?" he asked intrigued.

Eve blushed lightly he sounded so noble and approachable, "w-well she says your nice, you know stuff like that." She said looking to the ground trying to avert his gaze, and he had a fixed gaze on her.

"If that is confirmed do you not wish to come out into the open?" he asked.

She slowly took a large sideways step from behind Ironhides leg, and then she shrugged to show that she had moved; "well now i can see you more clearly."

When he said that Eve slightly dropped her head, she was very self conscious about her appearance and when people stare at her she feels uncomfortable. "What is wrong?" Optimus asked.

"I don't like it when people stare at me." She said.

"My apologizes i believe humans take this as a rude gesture to stare at someone, but you do not like in general, why is that?" he then asked.

"d-don't like my face." She said.

Optimus smiled gently at her, "perhaps you would accept your features more if you could remove those chemicals on your face." He added.

Eve lifted her head as her breathing increased, "huh?" she said.

"Those chemicals on your face 'make-up' is it? It's hiding your intriguing features." He said.

Eve was so perfect in applying her foundation; guess it doesn't work against alien robots, _"so that's what ironhide was asking about."_ She thought. "i-i...n-need it." She stuttered.

"For what purpose?" ironhide then asked seeing how she answered optimus's questions and not his own, then again he had a more subtle approach then he did, casual banter.

"I'm not...I'm not 'pretty' okay? The makeup is to make it easier for people when i'm walking down the street." She said depressingly.

"Is this what you think?" Ironhide asked his tone had a tinge of guilt to it.

"Well i am it's not what i think it's just a fact." She said hanging her head.

"hmmm." Optimus pondered, placing a hand under his chin.

"What happened to you?" came the voice of ratchet in a somewhat humorous voice; he came striding out of base with a pleased look on his face.

"Past tense, i just need a solution." Ironhide stated folding his arms.

"You smell...alien. It's clogging up my sensors!" Ratchet moaned putting a hand over his face.

"Oh frag off! Glitchhead! Just handle the cosmetics and I'll deal with the rest later." Ironhide shot back.

"I am not performing anything on you smelling like that, I'm going to have to hose you down first." Ratchet said evilly.

"No, slagging, way!" he protested.

"Fine! No hose down, no cosmetics!" he said hands on hips in a smug manner.

Ironhide growled he didn't like the idea of ratchet spraying water on him, it's just ...degrading...a bath basically, then he looked to eve, "eve would you do it?" he asked sounding slightly pleading, it was different when humans would help with these kind of situations they didn't know any different, and wouldn't judge you for asking, like how the other week will helped to dig out a petrol can out of his Armour it was in pretty deep within his torso and he was too proud to ask ratchet to get it out, but Wills hands were small enough and he wasn't mocking him at all simply did the job and carried on like normal, what's weird for them wasn't weird for humans and vice versa, like human mating wasn't given a second thought to them but apparently it offends humans.

"What spray you down with a hose?" she said though a little surprised he'd ask for her help.

"I would appreciate it; ratchet would take enjoyment in the humiliation." Then he thought for a moment, "Besides this is your doing anyway!" he yelled though not out of anger merely teasing.

"Only because you humiliated me." She said folding her arms.

"I apologized didn't i? Femmes never know when to let things go..." He started and continued to ramble.

"Calm down, I'll clean you down." She simply said.

"Now that's a fine quality..." Ironhide though still in ranting mode blinked at her not expecting her to offer him aid. "Thank you eve." He then said, not thinking about for too long.

"Yeah, yeah." She waved off.

Ratchet looked somewhat disappointed, but shook that off as he looked at eve, "is this your new charge ironhide?" he asked.

Ironhide then grinned widely, "oh yeahhhh!" he exclaimed as he then bent down to eve, he looked at ratchet as he shooed him with one hand, "do you mind? Private conversation."

"hmph." Was ratchets response.

"_Eve this is ratchet, mind __**expressing **__yourself to him?" _he whispered winking at her.

"What are you telling her ironhide?" ratchet demanded.

"_So he's your friend but you too wind each other up sometimes?" _she guessed.

"_More like all the time but yes." _He finished.

"Sure i can do that." Eve said in her normal speaking volume.

"Pardon?" ratchet said raising an eyebrow in concern for his own being.

"Nothing." Ironhide said standing up, "anyway, eve this ratchet, ratchet, eve." He introduced.

Eve just stared at him, "hello eve." Ratchet said.

"hm." She said in response.

"Like i told Optimus she's a little wary around strangers and she's a little...er, feisty." Ironhide said though he sounded like he was pleased with this.

"Oh don't exaggerate ironhide." Ratchet said.

"I'm not, and you'd see well to take not underestimate her." Ironhide warned.

"This little girl? Honestly can you not handle children?" he said.

"Who you calling 'little'!" eve demanded reacting as quickly as a cat who just had its tail stood on, "Listen here 'ratchet' you'd best not patronise me if you wanna see tomorrow." She threatened.

"Excuse me?" ratchet said looking her up and down.

"You heard, and you can stop looking at me like that too." She said.

"Ironhide may not be the only one in need of repairs in a minute." Ratchet said taken a few steps in Ironhides direction making eve instantly take cover behind him.

"Whoa there ratchet." Ironhide said placing a hand on ratchets chest. "After all she is just a 'little' girl, she doesn't know any better." Ironhide said mockingly giving him a devilish grin.

Ratchet growled under his breath, "just be in my practice in ten minutes understand?" he hissed.

Ironhide saluted him in response mockingly again as ratchet stomped off mumbling to himself.

"Heh, that shut him up." Ironhide said proudly.

"I wasn't doing that on purpose i was being serious, belittle me will he?" she huffed, shooting daggered eyes at him from behind.

"I'm sure ratchet didn't mean to unintentionally offend you eve." Optimus said, eve totally forgot he was still here, surprising as that is but she got startled nonetheless. "And ironhide i question your judgement in encouraging this kind of behavior." He added with a slight scolding.

"Y-yeah well, we gonna hose you down or not?" she then said turning to ironhide.

"Let's get this over with" he said then nodded to Optimus. "Optimus" he said before walking off.

Optimus nodded back as eve followed him rather closely, she looked back for a brief moment, long enough for Optimus to nod at her too, she instantly blushed slightly and looked back to the front.

"Where is that hose thing anyway?" ironhide grumbled, everything around base was so unorganized.

"There." Eve said pointing as she ran over to it.

"Getting brave are we?" he teased.

"No i decided to come on my own terms FYI." She said as she unraveled a lone thick hose pipe she was fast in doing so and hovered her hands over the switches, "i don't want to sound sad or anything but to be honest this is pretty cool." She added triumphantly holding the fire hose.

"Careful eve the pressure from that could blow you back...perhaps i should do it myself." He said lending out a hand.

"No, I've got this turd head." She said stubbornly.

"Just, prepare yourself" He said slightly worried but then realizing her insult, "and my head is not composed of fecal matter!"

"u-huh" she said blanking him, she then pointed the hose in his direction with one hand, then she hopped over to the switch pressing her back against the wall with a bit of a struggle.

"Eve..." ironhide started.

"I'm...fine." she said as she turned it on without question, "whoa!" she exclaimed as she tried getting her other hand on the hose as she lost control... "I got it! I got it!" she yelled as she put all her strength into holding the damn thing. "There got it...see? Fine...now." she said as she had gotten wet from the descending water that had risen into the sky and descended, shaking it off as she didn't care, she then unpredictably sprayed ironhide in the face without any warning.

Spluttering a few times, "e-ve enough!" he yelled.

She did just that as she aimed for his torso instead, "are you okay with me doing this, i know you weren't comfortable about the idea...though i don't know why seems legit to me." She said.

"I'd rather have a human do this then ratchet." He said bitterly.

Eve let out a small smile, "turn around." She ordered as he did so.

"What's your impression of our leader?" he then asked.

"Yeah he's alright." She shrugged.

"Alright?" he said raising an eyebrow.

"Okay ironhide he's a god is that what you wanted me to say?" she joked.

Ironhide merely chuckled.

"Okay ironhide you're all done, we going to see Hatchet now?" she said.

Ironhide laughed, "Seems everyone knows ratchets nickname."

"It's not that hard to figure out, well we going or what?" eve said in a bossy tone.

"Yes, but you can wait outside." He said firmly.

"No way, I'm not hanging around here with crazy veterans and Optimus looks like once he starts talking he won't shut the hell up." Eve said before looking around the corner to check if he was still there...nope gone.

"Remember when you told me you don't like being touched?" he then said.

"It was like a few hours ago ironhide I've not got short term memory loss" eve said sarcastically.

"Oh I'm sorry." He said kneeling down to her, "i didn't realize your tiny processor could withhold such memories." He added sarcastically lightly flicking her forehead.

Eve held both hands on it, "don't you man handle me!" she pouted, rubbing her head.

He grinned as his expression turned more serious, "i generally hate repairs...but i can deal with them the part i don't like is someone observing me being repaired." He said.

"Why?" she asked.

"I look vulnerable on that med table, unable to defend myself, i hate being in that position...besides i have a reputation to uphold you know...and i have to refrain a constant impression on everyone." He slightly jested.

Eve smiled at him, "I understand. Still do i have to wait outside?" she said.

"I'm not thrilled about leaving you alone but I'm only meters away." He said then an image popped up of what she was capable of, _"I'd prefer it if someone was to watch her though." _

"Hmmm." She said kicking up dirt with her shoes.

"Let's go then." He said as they proceeded inside base, eve ran to his heels again as he had gotten a head start in front of her.

Inside was the main room then ironhide went down a long wide hallway, well it was for humans, on each side were large doors that were suited for their huge frames, "hey ironhide?" eve said.

"Yes?" he said.

"Does every autobot have their own room?" she asked.

"Yes, in fact i am merely going to ratchets quarters. The humans have yet to provide a suitable med bay." He then pointed to a specific door, "this one is my quarters, and this one next to it is primes then next to that ratchets and so on."

"There alright looking." She said.

"there acceptable for what they are it's the best they could come up with in the short amount of time they had but since then we've fixed it up as much as we could." He said as they both stood outside ratchets door. "So..." ironhide started with.

"You nervous?" eve inquired.

"I know no fear." He huffed.

"u-huh, big baby" Eve said though her smug smile washed away as Optimus emerged from his quarters.

"Ah perfect timing, like my cannons" Ironhide announced. "Optimus i don't want to interrupt you but would you mind watching eve?"

"Ironhideee" eve said through her teeth.

"It would be an honor." He replied looking down on her.

"Uhh..." was eve's response.

"Most appreciated." Ironhide said as eve gave him a daggered stare, before entering ratchets quarters he knelt down to her level, "You'll be fine, trust me if i were you I'd feel a lot safer around Optimus then me."

Eve gave him an unconvinced look.

"I'm only here, be good." He said before the doors opened for him and he stepped inside.

"'be good'." Eve scoffed, then she glanced to her side making as little eye contact with Optimus as possible.

Though Optimus tried to force this as he tried to meet his sight with hers, "i mean you no harm eve." He said, her face screwed up to the sound of his voice, it echoed down the hall as they were the only two standing in it...awkward.

"Says you." Eve said under her breath though very quietly his nobility kind of made her feel bad if she were to be disrespectful towards him.

* * *

**A/N slowly but surely, 'transformers nummber 1 fan' i'm doing this for you now ;) i hope you continue to enjoy **


	9. The Long Road to Friendship: Optimus

**The Long and Awkward road to friendship – Optimus **

"Not very trusting for one so young." He said shaking his head.

Eve saw this and scrunched her face, "why are you shaking your head? I'm not very trusting so what?" she shrugged.

Optimus decided to use a few examples that may have led her to this state, just to push her...a little, "I was merely shaking my head to the unfortunate thought that something has happened." He started as he put a finger under his chin and started to think. "Something big that has cut off your trust for anyone, perhaps someone has hurt you? An event of some kind perhaps that has led you to this conclusion? Or..." he started.

"Why does everyone think someone has hurt me for?!" she then exclaimed, optimus's psychology obviously working.

"I was speaking metaphorically." He said.

"Oh, w-well uh...damn." she cursed under her breath.

"But your quick to judge and defensive ways give me a strong impression that it is physical, am i right?" he said.

"n-no." She uttered.

"The chemicals you wear on your face, are you not a little young for cosmetics?" she shook her head in protest but she wasn't trying. "Therefore my theory is that you wear it as a mask, to hide something, evidence of this physical abuse?" He said.

Eve was slightly stunned at how much of this stuff he was getting right. "I'm not hiding anything." She said as she looked harshly to her feet.

Optimus then knelt down making eve very alarmed at this; he furrowed his brow in concern as she backed up a bit like a cornered animal.

"Eve." He then spoke gently, "i do not know much about you, nor your background or your history but i am fully aware of abuse." He said regrettably.

"Please..." she then said quietly, "don't tell anyone." She pleaded; her voice broke slightly in saying that. Optimus seemed the type to not give up when asking her questions, plus he wasn't bothered by her protests.

"Eve you need to tell someone of your suffering, a life of fear and pain is barely living at all." He said.

"Don't you get it? If i tell anyone I'll be shipped off to a children's home." She said.

"Why would you be taken to such a place? Is it not only for orphaned, abandoned or those who are taken away from..." eve gave him a certain look that gave him a huge sign, "is it...is it your parents who are doing this?" He said somewhat bewildered to this, parental abuse was never known of on cybertron.

"I have a **parent." **she corrected.

"Your mother?" he asked.

She shook her head wildly as if offended.

"Your father?" he asked instead.

She neither nodded nor shook her head but that gave Optimus confirmation nonetheless.

"I should inform major Lennox." He said, he had to be honest with himself, he has not dealt with a situation like this before and when in doubt Major Lennox always came to mind, either him or Sam.

"Oh sure do that and i have no home!" she yelled, nope, Optimus definitely had no experience with this, "i can take the abuse as long as i have a home i can take the physical pain, but i can't take the disappointment or rejection i would get at the children's home, passing wannabe parents who go for the cute button faced red head, who behaves well and has a bubbly personality." Optimus saw Eve was dying inside with every detail she would utter of what people want, basically calling herself inferior and not worthy of existence.

"And you think that is what every parent wants?" He said deeply hurt by this.

"Yes! Why would they want the difficult child, with the hair as black as soot and sickly colored skin?" she choked on her words as her mouth was dry from stress.

"What about ironhide?" he said.

"What about him?" she scoffed.

"There is a lot of space in the autobot section of base." He said hinting.

"Stay with ironhide?" she scoffed again, but her expression changed when she thought about the husky toy he had got her, "do you think...he doesn't mind me?" she said very timidly.

"I think it's more than that." he then tilt his head back slightly, "there is something you must know eve." He said grabbing eve's attention straight away. "I had sent ironhide to your home, i say 'i' however Ellen was the influence, she was concerned for you." He said.

"Ellen?" eve sighed; she then scowled at her feet, "Why can't she mind her own business." She said under her breath.

"She never meant it out of spite, i do think she meant well." He said. "However that was not the original task ironhide was set with."

"It wasn't?" now she was confused... "So ironhide didn't even know that it was for another reason?" she asked.

"No, he only knew he was to assist major Lennox with his belongings, and nothing else, he did not know about you." He said.

"So, he was originally just supposed to be a bag boy?" Optimus nodded, "so why'd he stay?" she said in a small voice.

"Is it not that obvious?" he said smiling at her.

"I want to think that way, but my head is telling me it was pity." She said shuffling her shoes.

"Did he ever make contact with you?" he said.

"Well as a... holoform?" she said, "and it wasn't the best greetings, i cursed at him and he provoked me then he pinned me down until i tired myself out..."

"Did he say anything?" he then asked.

"He said i was enduring and he seemed interested by that, and he smiled at me because he's weird i guess, but that alone..." she started.

"He didn't describe you as difficult; he saw something not many would see" He said, "but that may be because many have run from you the moment you open your mouth." He lightly jested.

"How would you know?!" she demanded of him.

"Major Lennox has spoke of you more intently since ironhide was left with you." He chuckled.

"God i hate him so much!" she announced.

"I highly doubt that." he said.

"Yeah you're right, i don't, but still it pisses me off when he speaks about me, like i'm the entertainment or something or he expresses his 'concern'." She said.

"Actually he spoke out of humor for what you did to the principal?" he said hoping he got that right.

"Oh? He remembers that? Yeah that was funny, but he said it was wrong of me to do that to him, but i didn't know he secretly found it funny." She said perking up a bit.

"If you did not realize that, perhaps you did not realize it with ironhide?" he said.

"Well...maybe...but i can't trust him..." she just protested again, back to square one.

Optimus sighed, how to make her see sense? "Let's discuss your feelings, what do you feel when you are around your father?" he asked.

"Well, scared mostly because i know he's going to hurt me, but it's understandable it's my fault he has to hit me." She said, her tone was fear but she sounded so accepting.

"What have you done which would justify his violence towards you?" Optimus asked, he was very concerned to how casual she sounded saying that.

"Well i fuck up, sometimes the house isn't immaculate and that's my error, i'm not quiet when i should be things like that i should be able to do." She said.

"Eve, your father should not be hurting you for small errors like that, he should not be hurting you period, **he **should be keeping his home clean, not you. It is **your** freedom to act your normal behavior including your freedom to speak." He said.

Eve expression was that of a machine, she never questioned her way of life nor did she ever think her father was in the wrong, just that is was her fault. And even though she thought that perhaps those reasons aren't justified she still knew that she deserved the pain brought down on her "...maybe but there is another reason..." She confessed.

"Oh?" he said.

"I-i can't say...doesn't matter" she said.

Optimus wiped a hand over his face, she sounded as though it was vital information but for that split second she instantly retracted, so he thought to best not force her into saying it so he just carried on as normal, "Eve, how do you feel around ironhide?" he said moving on with the conversation.

She blushed at this point; "i don't know." she shrugged. "Like i can act myself, kind of, he's defiantly interesting not as boring as most people and bots...no offense Optimus but you're a bit bland." She waved off.

"i-i well, opinion noted." He said.

"I like it, its fine for you." She said friendlier.

"Thank you." He said.

"Yeah well anyway i don't know why but whenever he gets pissed off i find it hilarious, and i kind of feel a sense of respect for him, as well as feel...ya know" She said blushing ever more.

"I do not know." he said tilting his head.

Eve sighed, "You play dumb on purpose don't you? I mean like, you know, when you don't feel comfortable in strange areas, but your fine as long as he's there with you." She expanded.

"I understand, you feel safe." He said nodding.

"Shut up!" she scolded taking Optimus back a bit, "he's in the next room you know." she hissed in a whisper.

"But it is wonderful you feel that way, just use the words that are suited best." He said.

"Okayyyy, just keep your voice down." She said, then she awkwardly wondered her eyes on the ceiling pretending to be interested, as silence followed for a while but she still felt his optics on her.

"Well?" he said breaking the silence.

"Well what?" she said frowning at him.

"Give a straight definition of ironhide." He said in a teasing manner.

"no." She said sounding disgusted.

"You will feel a weight off your shoulder if you do so." He encouraged.

"no." She repeated.

"I can be much more persistent then ironhide and i will continue to ask you for an answer, even with your protesting and furthermore..." he started.

"Fine! He's great okay?!" she yelled, throwing her arms up in defeat, Optimus was boastingly satisfied with the results.

"Then you should stay with him. We can have that arranged." He said already fixed on having Eve move in already.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Slow down there! It's not as simple as that, i do like him... i do, i just can't trust him." She said clenching her fists in frustration.

"If you cannot learn to trust again then you cannot live." He said.

She looked up at him very frightened, what he says is true but, "I'm scared...i don't want to be hurt again." She stuttered.

"You look and feel your best around him, do you not?" he said.

"Yes and i do have a good feeling about ironhide. But feelings normally betray you." She said but then rubbed a hand down her arm, stroking it, "but for me to feel this, and so fast..." she started.

"It must be so, and even though you probably would not take my words into account i will still say that ironhide, though he lacks 'people' skills, he does care and he easily falls for any species, even if he has denied it." He said.

"Denied it?" she said intrigued.

"Ironhide from the first time we came here has insulted your race on a number of occasions, harshly judging and even threatening termination...but i believe they were words and nothing more." He said.

"Reallyyyyyy?" she said mockingly, "so he secretly liked us then?" she said raising a cheeky eyebrow.

"It was only moments after the battle in mission city he instantly begun coversine with the human soldiers, among them your uncle." He said amused.

"My god! He melts like butter!" she laughed.

Optimus smiled at her as she held her sides, "That's the most genuine smile i have seen you form since you got here." He said.

Hearing that she instantly wiped it off her face as she turned to a frown again, Eve then looked as though there were a cliff before her and she was unsure whether to jump or not, _"he's right, but it's the most i have smiled in the longest of time, i feel so warm right now, i have forgotten all about what life used to be like, is that a good thing to feel?"_ Optimus watched her as she thought, she then shook her head abruptly, "i-i d-don't know!" she announced burying her face in her hands slight tears fell from her face as she quietly sobbed, Optimus wanted to comfort her...but he couldn't he would make her worse from what ironhide has told him, "stop crying!" she scolded herself then she smacked herself in the face.

Though it was an unsettling sight for Optimus, "Eve please, you should not be inflicting pain upon yourself."

"I need to, if i don't stop crying dad will hit me, i cried so much one time...well, i don't remember, i think i blacked out." Eve said. Optimus was still bewildered about this and was about to say something until both had been attracted to Ratchets quarters as ratchet sounded as though he was nearly finished, Eve turned a head to him again as she quietly said "y-you won't tell him about our conversation will you?" she pleaded with begging hands.

"No, but you need to, before he figures it out for himself. Or perhaps he already has but can't figure out the culprit." He said.

"Do you think he knows?" eve said panic rising in her voice.

"He might, i would not underestimate him. But Eve even if you do not tell him, i cannot carry on normally with life knowing what i know, you need to tell someone...or i will." He said dangerously.

"Why?!" she whined.

"Why?" he said shaking his head lightly, "eve, if this continues, you may die." He said.

"m-my dad w-wouldn't k-kill me!" she stated.

"You stated that he hit you that much that you blacked out, you could've died then. How many times must you endure until that becomes a reality?" He stated sternly making eve jump slightly.

"h-how would i have died?" she asked.

"You could've swallowed your tongue and died, but you could died from your injuries, illness, among other things if this continues." He stated realistically, he had to scare her into realizing this.

Eve's eyes widened with fear as she shook slightly, "I-i don't want to d-die" She stuttered.

Optimus gave her a look of sympathy, "i am sorry, but i needed you to see this truth." He said as they both whipped there towards the door as footsteps were heard, "please, tell him." He pleaded of her.

"I..." she started.

"You made things worse then you did better!" ironhide said as he threw himself out of ratchets quarters.

"Don't be dramatic, it was necessary." Ratchet said following with a buzz saw.

"Ironhide!" eve called in distress.

"What's wrong?" he asked concerned slightly jumping at the sound of her voice.

"Oh, N-Nothing, I'm just greeting you is all." She said, Optimus talking about how she could die has made her have a sudden outburst.

"O...kay?" he said a little suspicious, giving Optimus an accusing stare. "Have you upset her?" he asked.

Though Eve answered for him, "No, no, he hasn't done anything." She defended said.

"Oh, well, good." He said.

"You done?" she asked frantically.

"Y-yeah." He said turning his vision on Optimus, "have you...bribed her?" he asked.

"Would you really consider such a thing?" he said back.

"No, this is just odd, her stress levels have risen." He said.

"Come on, let's go home." She said speed walking towards the base entrance, as Ironhide followed cautiously. "Oh yeah, er bye Ratchet, Optimus." She said wanting to get out of there.

"Goodbye eve." Ratchet said, _"Good riddance." _He added under his breath.

"I hope we will be to see you more often at base, i **really **do, for your sake." Optimus said.

"Er sure." She said.

Ironhide looked at Optimus confused, "for her sake?" he mouthed as he walked by her side.

"Eve?" ironhide said.

"Yeah?" she said.

"Are you sure your okay...did Optimus say something to you?" he asked.

"No we were just talking." She said.

"Did you say anything to him?" he asked.

"No and i know you want something out of me but don't act stupid about it." She said.

Ironhide scratched his head awkwardly, "so what is it you expected me to say to Optimus?" she asked.

"You won't have an emotional breakdown?" he teased.

"I never have emotional breakdowns!" she yelled.

"kidding." He said holding his hands up in surrender.

"Dick." She said. "b-but seriously i won't get pissed off just tell me." She said her tone very soft.

"I want to know who is hurting you." He spoke very seriously.

Eve looked to the floor, _"I'm not surprised, i have gave away so much because of my temper, god I'm so stupid! I can't keep a secret to save my life!" _she thought, she then sighed as to what Optimus said about her dad, that he could end up killing her has outweighed the problem of trust, "Can i explain this on the way home, now isn't really private." She said in a small voice.

"Of course." He said looking down at her with concern, "are you feeling ill?" he added.

"Oh...er no." She said, the more she thought about what Optimus said the more she grew fonder of ironhide, the concern and emotion he would show towards her, made her feel like she was the center of the universe, and to not be used to it, a wave of sudden peace fell over her and it was all too overwhelming.

And as they got outside Eve started to cry, it was soft whimpers at first but then it turned to light sobbing into her hands, making ironhide instantly kneel down to her, and as an instinctive manner he hovered two hands around her, but knew she wouldn't approve and retracted them, but it was so hard not to, "Eve what's wrong?" he asked. "Was i too long? Did i put you in an uncomfortable position?" he asked.

"n-n-no." She whined lifting her head from her hands, "it's just you've been so good to me and I've been such a jerk!" she wailed.

"No you haven't, i have never felt as though you were 'offending' towards me." He said.

"Yes i have, I've cursed at you and told you to piss off and been a right bully." She continued.

"You really think that? i enjoyed every second of it, the night with the thunder, you were so...'sweet' taking shelter in my cab, i felt a sense of purpose, what i was intended for, protection. Something i never felt during the war for cybertron, but what i used to feel before when i was part of our planets defense." He said.

Eve blushed intensively, "'s-sweet' me? 'Purpose'? I inspired?" she sniffed, rolling the bottom of her top in embarrassment.

"Yes, and when we went 'shopping'." He then sighed remembering those rotting tomatoes, "sure you were like a scraplet under my grill then, but thinking back, you were mischievous and creative, as well as skilled, climbing that pillar i mean." He said grinning at her.

"Y-yeah that was fun, y-you were so pissed." She sniffed, choking up a laugh.

"You sound so vulnerable, are you sure Optimus didn't say anything to upset you? Just say if he did I'll go in there and kick his aft." He said confidently.

Eve wiped her eyes, "leave him alone terminator, i said we're going home." She said.

"Primus it's only been..." ironhide then looked to the sky which had turned tremendously dark, "two and a half days?"

"It feels longer." Eve said smiling sadly.

* * *

**A/N the next chapter Eve reveals why her Dad hits her in the first place **


	10. Cancer

**A/N stated from the chapters title, this chapter involves talks of cancer, i know of many who have gone through this and it is hard and is upsetting and because of that i thought to put a warning first.  
**

* * *

**Cancer**

The drive back to Eves house was quiet, but ironhide waited intently for her to speak anyway, she often stared out the window perhaps figuring out how to say it he theorized, she comfortably snuggled herself into his seats as she looked at her feet, then she finally opened her mouth.

"Did you know when i was born my mom died a few weeks later?" she said out of nowhere, playing with the lock on the door.

"No." He merely said so she could continue.

"Well she did, you know why?" she said.

"No." He said again.

"Because i killed her." She said simply.

"i don't understand." He said research had stated that sharks would eat their siblings while still inside their mothers and certain species would eat their parents as nutrition but there was nothing there about human infants killing their mothers.

"My dad said that mom had cancer when she was carrying me, but she couldn't have the treatment until i was born. But by then it was too late and she died." She then stopped as she took a deep breath. "Dad said that...i was the cancer and if i didn't exist mom would still be alive." She said.

Ironhide didn't know which emotion to display first, the first thing that bothered him was how casual she was speaking when she referred to herself as 'killing' her and referring to herself as the 'cancer', what made him the most enraged was that her father has basically classed her as 'scum!' ironhide felt his chest strain for he couldn't explode, not in front of eve, he had to retract those feelings, though it was a mental battle.

"E-ve." He struggled to speak her name as calmly as possible, "your... **f-father** is **wrong**." He spoke dangerously just the mere title that he didn't deserve to have made him boil.

"No he isn't, i killed my mom." She repeated as a stated fact.

"now you listen to me girl, you didn't kill your mother." He stated sternly, "your mother wanted to have you, the truth is in that for she acted out of selflessness, having you before having the treatment it is not that she couldn't have the treatment is was because...well i theorize that she did not want to risk the effects it may have on you despite her doctor's advice, perhaps you were only just developing, but whatever the reason she wanted you to live and i for one am glad of your existence." He said.

"How do you know that my mom really wanted me?" eve said.

Ironhide thought for a long while before answering, "If she didn't...you really wouldn't be here." He said darkly, it was at the point that he could no longer sugar coat the situation it seemed the only way to convince eve over wise.

Eve's expression looked as though she was snapped from a trance, her father's brain washing subsiding, "then... she died wanting me to live?" she said slightly stunned.

"Yes, your father...is delusional, you are not cancer, you are human and you certainly did not kill your mother." He said.

"So did **he** not want me?" she asked in a small voice.

Ironhide sighed, "He did want you, but the moment your mother died he must have... lost his mentality and lost all sense for that matter and see's you as the blame even though you are not and doesn't regard you as his child but as a disease." He then stopped himself in mid-sentence "that... must be why he is never home, and why he does not take care of you properly...at all for that matter." He then felt slight pity for the man, losing a sparkmate is enough to drive one insane, but ironhide thought of Eve first and he shook any sense of guilt or pity for him "But that does not excuse his actions..." he sternly noted.

"So my dad is...ill?" she said.

"In a sense however..." He started.

"Then he needs help." Eve said in a cheery tone, a bitter-sweet motion for ironhide.

Ironhide didn't respond for a while, he heard eves slight hopeful tone that her father was only 'ill' and she could help him and that she could finally have that loving father and it also felt as though Eve had lost all awareness of ironhide at that moment, which caused him to sink secretly disappointed mainly because...well... he wanted her. "We need to inform your uncle, he is his brother." He then replied with though very solemn, this situation called for Major Lennox he knows how humans deal with these kinds of situations.

Eve clasped her hands together as she grinned, "I'm so relieved that he doesn't hate me truly, and that he only hit me because he thought i was something else, now i can stay with him."

Ironhide slammed his brakes, "he neglects you, he detests you...but he hurts you?" perhaps it was denial that made him bewildered at the fact, because in his books a parent should **never **inflict pain upon their child just to ease their own pain...but he does not see her as human...he...hang his madness! He hurts Eve and to him, there is no excuse for that! Why didn't he seek help when he was grieving for his wife?! Why did no one notice this?! Who is this man?! Has he no friends?! Where the slag does he goes when he's not home?! When he thought he found the solution it just raised more questions and more problems!

"Yes he does, but now we can help him it'll be fine." She said confidently bouncing on his seats, she admit that he hurts her and yet she still...What can he say to that? He hits her yes but only because he isn't mentally sound in Eves eyes, but ironhide can't accept that as a reason it still seems very wrong, no it **is **wrong, "Eve, you do know his healing will be long, and you will be placed into custody until then." He said, trying to not let this get to her head as though she were in a fantasy land and it would be a quick happy ending for her and her father.

"Huh? Why? We know the cause now why can't i still stay with him?" she said coming out of her dreamy state.

"You think a doctor is going to give him some medicine and he will return to a normal state?" He said shattering Eve's dreams.

"No, no don't say that. I need him." She said in a pleading voice.

"I'm just saying that when this is being dealt with, you will need some temporal living quarters" He said.

"There is no way I'm going into social care." She protested shifting in her seat allot.

"No, i mean to... stay with me until then." He slightly felt awkward in saying that, He would prefer that she stay with him always... but he is her father...he can't deny her that.

"Why would you?" she asked in a gentle hiss, as though she had reverted back to what she was like when they first met.

"Why wouldn't i?" he said, again feeling very, out casted from her.

"Well...whatever." She said waving off the offer as she formed a wide grin on her face and started drawing pictures on Ironhides windows.

Ironhides spark dropped, but continued to ask questions to keep himself distracted from falling lower, "Eve, when did he start...hurting you?" he asked.

"i can remember it being small to start with and then it just grew over time." She said still drawing pictures.

Ironhide couldn't hold his feelings back anymore his has to say it, "Eve, why would you want to stay with him? After all he's done? What kind of father hits the child who bears the genetic signature of their loved one?" he said.

"An ill one!" she screamed at him all of a sudden, "I don't care if you think it's wrong, all I've ever wanted is for him to say that he loves me and i only want to hear it from **him**" she spat "and now i can help him." She said, she sounded desperate and her smile was uncomfortable.

"Do you not think that he has truly lost himself in his own insanity? Who knows if he truly will be healed." He said.

Eve shot daggered eyes towards the dash board, "He will be healed! And when he is, i, won't, need, **you** anymore." She stated coldly.

Ironhide froze, for her to say that, it wasn't her usual tone it ran deep into his spark like an ice pick, how could she cut him off so easily? "You won't huh?" he uttered as he slowly started to drive again, she didn't really mean that surely. She's just angry right? He dreaded to ask but he had to...to be sure. "Do you... really feel this way?" he asked softly.

She hesitated slightly as the husky cuddly toy sat in the passenger seat, "just get me home." She said crossing her arms and looking out the window.

* * *

No other words were shared between the two until they got to Eves house, she got out of Ironhides cab as she slammed the door, she then turned to him with her hands on her hips and her eyes were closed.

"Phones out at my place go tell Uncle Will himself he should be home from base by now, he's only two minutes away if you drive. And if not, base is just as close, just find him." She practically ordered.

"I do not want to leave you alone." He stated sadly still hurt from her comment, but still standing by her.

Eve sighed long and loud, rubbing a hand over her face. "Seriously, two minutes...stop trying to be friends with me or something." She said before heading towards her house.

Ironhides sadness then turned to anger though involuntary, he had done everything to keep her happy, everything her father has **never **done and yet she chooses him?! That rage still built up and he wanted to spit something just as nasty at her... b-but he couldn't, not to her.

He instead grew depressed, "i...i don't understand." He said a mixture of anger and sadness blended in.

"What?" Eve asked not hearing him.

"He hurt you, for years driving you to fear." He said. "I don't understand why you want to be with him, i just don't...i can't..." He said.

"He's my dad." She stated not as cold but as a fact of reality, however she sounded...clingy.

"Of course." He said driven more saddened to that tragic fact, she was so desperate for her father's affections and she showed it, nothing else mattered...nothing.

He then backed up a bit and drove down the drive just as slowly, "I'll be swift." He said.

"Yeah." Eve said opening the door to her house, kicking her shoes off and throwing herself on the couch, she was so excited for when her dad returns, she can tell him that he can get help and then everything will be better.

* * *

**A/N not too bad i hope? i have drafted out the other chapters and what they will be like, but I'll see how this goes.  
**


	11. A Chat With Will

**A chat with Will**

Ironhide knew where Major Lennox lived however he was fascinated that Eve's house was mere a distance away, and to how short a distance it was, that much so he had no time to grieve, as he had already drove up there drive, and indeed Will was home, as he was greeted with an unsure expression from him, a wary expression. It looked as though he had just been working on something as there was a rusted dishwasher just by his feet, he wiped his hands down with a cloth, he then looked over to his house as he jogged over to ironhide, quick paced.

"Ironhide?" he said, "what are you doing here? Is it decepticons?" he asked looking over his shoulder checking on his family through the window.

"No major Lennox." Ironhide said.

"No?" he said looking into his cab and to the backseats, "Where's Eve?" he asked.

"At home." He confirmed flatly.

"You left her home alone?" he said with a disapproving voice and yet surprised at this.

"Only briefly so to tell you of some vital information." He said and although he tried to hide his grief with an ongoing flat tone, he had already betrayed himself.

"Why do you sound so depressed? Has something happened to eve?" he asked and the more he asked the more panicked he became and even closer he brought himself towards Ironhide.

"Eve is well, for Eve, my mood is neutral and now you need to listen." He said.

"So it is vital?" he said becoming intently concerned.

"Yes. Major Lennox i will be blunt, to inform you that Eve is a victim of child abuse...physical abuse." He said.

"w-what?" he said unsure if he heard him right.

"Her father is the source of her behavior, now i have done my task." He said changing this to business more than pleasure.

Will opened his mouth but it made slight gargle noises as he frowned and let his mouth hang, he looked to the ground and his eyes darted as if trying to search for something, he then opened his arms out in front of him, he was completely lost, "w-wait, wait!" he barked frustrated. "He is? No, it has to be a mistake, he wouldn't...he can't... are you...**absolutely** sure!?" he asked.

"I would not lie," he said.

"I know, but...you have evidence of this?" he asked.

"She has told me herself." He then said.

Will let a twitch of a smile form on his lips as a slight reliving gesture, "Well d-don't you think she may have been...fibbing perhaps?"

"Her words were true, she was not lying." He said.

Will's face dropped, but he needed to be sure, "What exactly did she tell you?" he asked holding his hands in a 'praying gesture.

"From what i can understand it seems he has fallen into madness from the loss of his wife and so blames Eve as the source of her death." He said.

Will then closed his eyes in thought, "H-He did fall into deep depression but if you saw his expression when she was born...we helped him out during that time taking care of Eve with him. But he never showed any signs of hate towards her." He said, he then narrowed his eyes as he shot Ironhide a hard stare "I don't **believe** you." He stated dangerously.

"Believe it. the madness has seeped in over time you have not seen this and yet why would he show it to you? if it has gone on for this long i think he was able to hide it from others, until he came into contact with Eve that is. for not only has he become absent from home, he is also neglective and abusive." He said.

"So...he has been hurting her?" he said bewildered. "How have i not seen this?" He said taking grip of his hair in frustration.

"she wears 'make up' to hide this, but she is so refined in that skill you would not notice with the human eye, also her long hair would aid in this, but do not blame yourself." He said.

"Still...he has never been violent he was always against it." He said as he then put a palm to his forehead in confusion.

"He is not mentally sound." Ironhide said.

"true but...i don't know how to feel, i hate what he's done to Eve but is this really his own intentions or is this the madness speaking?" he said.

"I had explained to her how it was not her fault and how her father is 'ill' and upon hearing this she became...hopeful." He said though he sounded regretful.

"Hopeful?" he said as he thought, "...that...maybe he still loves her beyond his mental illness." Will said as he sighed and shook his head, "She sounds...desperate. poor girl." He said.

mere seconds when he finished his sentence ironhide quickly jumped in, "That's what i thought but..." he started but trailed off and let out a sigh.

Will tilted his head slightly as he bizarrely fell silent and it was hard to make out an expression when he was in vehicle mode, his front wheels turned to the left as his base lowered slightly, "You...wanted her didn't you?" he asked.

He didn't answer for a while, and he slightly became day dreamy, "Yes...i did." He said solemnly.

"You sound as though you want to add to that?" Will said furrowing his brow.

His front wheels then turned straight to the front as though his attention had been caught again "I'm not her father, he is, and that alone outweighs anything else it seems." He said a tinge of bitterness in his voice.

"Did she say something to you?" he asked.

"yes!" he abruptly announced, then instantly sank and struggled to get the words out, "she...said that...she doesn't... **need** me anymore" he said his feelings lowering with each word mainly for the fact that he did not want to admit this, will felt sympathy for him but didn't show in case he commented on it, "and the way she said it...was like the coldness of space was seeping into my Armour." His tone changed yet again to that of quick tempered anger, "she cut all ties with me the moment she could be with her father!" He said.

"i don't believe she meant it in that way." Will said lightly.

"Oh really?" he huffed.

Will shook his head lightly, "she'll still need you, after all, with what we know it would be a long while before he could ever have contact with her for the longest of time, She'll need you to stay with." He said trying to convince him.

"I-I'm not sure if i can, i don't feel...well, she wants him, not me, how do you help someone who doesn't want anything to do with you? acting as the third wheel..." he said.

"You didn't say that when i asked you to do this in the first place." Will said.

"It's different now!" ironhide snapped, "We at some point enjoyed one another's company, she can't deny that and neither can i." he said.

"Like i said before she probably didn't mean it, she just got excited." He said he spoke calmly but it was wearing thin.

"Well!"

"If you truly care for her you'll help her through this!" He suddenly yelled at him.

which caught ironhide off guard, "i know you are hurt, but think about how she's feeling, this isn't about you! this is a girl who has lived her life in fear, hatred, anger and violence, it is all she knows...mostly."

if ironhide could rub his face he would, he has to snap himself from thinking selfishly it has rendered him distracted and forgetting about Eve's well being, "i am...sorry Major Lennox..." he then abruptly reversed around making Will dive out of the way, "we have to return to her, now." he stated.

"h-hold on i-i'll just tell my **wife** and **child** that I'm leaving and we'll go." will said making a statement to Ironhide.

"fifteen seconds will." ironhide threatened, saying that will ran to his house but continued to look back at ironhide just in case he did leave anyway.

* * *

**A/N next chapter is a theme of... well its pretty intense and i'll put out a warning as well :) **


	12. Choices

**A/N i'll put a little warning now, this chapter features attempted rape, sexual abuse and blood, ...i just like to be sure when putting a warning  
**

* * *

**Choices **

On arrival at Eves house Will wasted no time in getting out of ironhide as he himself was still very distracted, "activate your holoform, I'm going inside if she likes it or not." Will told him.

"hmmm." He flatly said but did so nonetheless, though he dragged his feet from behind, he would probably wait outside, he would feel less uncomfortable that way. he...still needs time.

"Try to grin and bear it ironhide." Will lightly called, he was about five meters away from will but something didn't feel right, maybe it was because he was returning here and it hurt but The ambient sound made ironhide nervous, and just as a precaution he turned his sensors on just in case Eve possessed another weapon, and what he picked up on was Eve naturally and...A male adult human...

"Major Lennox wait!" he called.

Will had already went through the door, and upon entering he was greeted with a man shaking an unsteady hand at him which wielded a gun from the looks of things he had just spun around to the presence of Will and held Eve like a raggedy doll, her shorts were slightly below her hips as if were pulled down. "Jack?" Will said, "What are you..." he uttered.

"Stay the fuck away from me!" he screamed at him, his eyes were blood shot and he was drenched with the stench of alcohol, the last Will had seen him, he did not look like this, his appearance was that of a man who strayed the streets for six months, clothing that was in a terrible state, out of control facial hair, dry scabby skin and general unhealthy posture.

"It's me Will...your brother." He said pointing to himself.

His brother flickered his eyes as he looked him up and down, "s-so you're alive?" he said looking to the floor, a grin formed on the corner of his lips as he snickered slightly it was a disturbing sound to be sure, "M-must be a nice feeling to c-come home to your wife and c-child" he stuttered his head twitched slightly, then saying that he then shoved the gun deep into eves head as she wailed in fear at the action, he grinned devilishly with pleasure as he did so, Will attempted to take a step further, "i said stay away! This thing won't leave me alone! It won't go away! Why does it still live! And why does it fuck with my head when it screams like that!" he screamed as he himself started t whimper.

Ironhides holoform had come in at this point as he looked horrified but full of rage at the sight before him, his eyes locked with Eves as she kept her vision on only him.

He himself took a step forward attempting to g to eve but having a hand bein pressed firmly on his chest stopping him.

"Ironhide." Will hissed at him, "nothing rash, he could kill eve." He added in a whisper.

Ironhide hissed under his breath that he couldn't do anything, "jack...please, let her go." Will spoke softly holding out his arms for her.

"Why are you defending it?!" he screamed, his face was confused and he even looked eve over as though she were an alien, "it killed my wife! I-It could kill you..." he then looked sadly at will as his mouth stuttered his name, "W-W-Will..." he then slightly smiled at him sadly as instant rage built up from that fear of his brother dying too, "i won't let it!" he screamed pushing the gun in deeper, making Eve scream in terror.

"I-Ironhide!" she pleaded her voice was choky and she sounded like what she denied to be, a child, a scared child that needed him.

Her father then pulled her hair back, "shut up!" he screamed as he then pressed his mouth into her ear, "You ruined my life! I've tried everything to kill the cancer but it keeps restoring itself! So i'm trying more advanced techniques." He spat.

Ironhide took a gun from Wills pocket in turn as he pointed it at the man, "you delusional meat bag! She's your daughter!" he screamed, he couldn't take it anymore, he couldn't be reasoned with and he is not going to watch him hurt her anymore.

"Ironhide." Will hissed frozen.

"Fuck you! I have no daughter! i never had a daughter!" he screamed before pulling back the trigger, ironhide didn't know what to do, shoot eves father and let her live but would she hate him for doing so? Yes, he can, he can sacrifice that if it means she lives.

Ironhide in turn pulled back the trigger as well, Eves father grinned widely as he salivated out of his mouth, Eve's eyes tightened shut as she continued to wail and with a final shove into eves head he moved his fin...*Bang!*

"Nooo!" Ironhide screamed.

Eve screamed...

Eve's Father...dropped to the floor as Eve fell to the floor released from his grip, she briefly looked at the body beside her, her father's arms still draped over her and now she was in close contact with his face her dads body lay there with a gunshot in his head as a trickle of blood ran down his forehead, he still bore the same expression of a wide devilish grin, Eve kicked her legs against his body as she panicked trying to get away, "...a..ah...ah...uh..." she uttered dragging herself to her room to under her bed where she would usually depart to when trying to escape her father.

Ironhide looked to Will, who held the gun who shot him, he stood there still holding the gun at a shooting position, "i-i didn't know...how b-bad he had become." He stuttered looking at the body, "my god ironhide...what have i done?" he said in an almost whisper.

"What you had to...for Eve. There was no other way, he was hell bent on killing her." He said putting his hand on the gun so that it lowered.

"b-but i killed my b-brother." He said.

"In a way, he had been dead for years." He uttered before running for eves room, not even acknowledging her father's corpse.

Sure enough Eve was lay under her bed, ironhide got on his knees as he looked under the bed, Eve gasped slightly at his presence shaking with uncontrollable fear, she had a black eye, her nose bled, her arms had been clawed at, as well as the clawed nails of her father that ran deep into her cheeks, tears streaked down her face and stung these wounds, "Eve." He spoke gently as her dead unfocused eyes looked at him briefly just to let him know she heard him.

"g-go a-a-away." She whimpered slightly turning her face from him.

Ironhide then slowly retracted his arm out to her but not too much, "please...little one come to me." He pleaded.

Eve looked at his hand, "h-he d-d-did something d-different." She uttered her eyes full of daze.

Ironhide frowned in confusion, "h-he pinned me up against the wall, **hard**, i-i t-think my head i-is bleeding." She said in a small voice.

"We'll have ratchet look at that." he said soothingly as he tried to reassure her with a light smile.

She then shook her head violently, "n-n you don't u-understand, h-he pinned me down with his weight and then he...t-took one hand and...P-put it on my chest...He gripped really hard...his nails...it really hurts." She then started to whimper as she placed a hand on her chest.

Ironhide grit his teeth but didn't show it to her, "d-don't w-worry w-we'll have that looked at also." He said struggled get out without blowing a fuse.

"H-he then put a hand down m-my...i didn't think he'd...touch my...my..." she then wailed as she placed her face flat on the floor, "W-Why did h-he do t-t-that?!"

"Eve..." he started as he winced slightly at that 'animal'...violating her like this, never has he heard of such a thing, a parent...he didn't want to think about it...

Eve lifted her head up again as she threw her voice across as though if she didn't say this she would explode, "he then unzipped his jeans, his face looked so...so evil!...i was so scared...i didn't get what he was doing..."

Ironhide felt sick to his tank, he just wanted her out of this place, its...smell disturbed him.

"Now he's...he's...why is this all happening to meeee!" she screamed clawing the floor.

Ironhide then put out another hand in an open armed motion, "please come here." He said softly, reassurance was the only thing he could do to get her to do so.

She looked up at him, her tears continued to fall, she felt so vulnerable and scared, like she would always feel, but this time someone had their arms open for her and she instinctively went to ironhide as she crawled desperately towards him, ironhide pulled her out from under the bed and he stood up with her, she wrapped her arms around his neck as she wailed into his face, he in turn pulled her closer as he smiled sadly at her, he brushed her hair with his hand as he held her firmly, "i-i'm s-sorry i-i said that i...i-i j-just wanted my d-dad t-to..."

"Enough, don't speak." He cooed as he held Eves closer to him, holding her little form was so peaceful everything she said from before was gone in a instance, she was so warm, her hair although it had not been taken care of it was still so soft and flowed, she felt so light even that of a child, she was so thin, but that will all change now, finally she is safe. Still cradling her he then directed his way out of her room, he looked at Will who was at his brothers body, mourning for both of them. "Maj...Will, i..." Ironhide started.

Will shook his head silently as he looked upon the bloody corpse, "I'll be staying."

"I can't leave you here either...my friend" He said placing a firm grip on his shoulder.

"I'm staying." He replied placing an equally firm grip on Ironhides hand in appreciation, "i need to be here." He said.

"But the..."

"I'll take care of it." He said.

"How can you be so sure?" Ironhide asked.

"I'll, take, care of it." He repeated.

Ironhide regrettably nodded as he continued his way out the door, he made his way to his true form as he got into the passenger seat as eve still clung to him, "I'm going to deactivate my holoform now eve." He said as she wearily looked up and him as she clung tighter, she then looked around and she knew where she was and nodded slowly as Ironhides holoform smiled at her and deactivated itself as Eve gently fell into the seat.

Eve whimpered still as instead clung to the seats, ironhide placed a seat belt around her in a comforting gesture, "I'm taking you back with me." He said.

"k-kay..." she whimpered as she nestled herself down, she lightly padded her scratches on her cheeks to try and get rid of the salted tears, no good as she had just made it worse, she hit the chair in frustration as she flopped her head wearily, despite the stinging sensation she focused on sleep, she was so tired...

* * *

**A/N after that trauma on a brighter note at least he got to hold her :) and the next chapter includes fluff :3 *finally*, I'm kind of going backwards lots of violence and abuse and then fluff :3 just like if you bit into a sour coating but there was chocolate in the middle ^^;**


	13. Aftermath

**Aftermath**

Eve cracked her eyes open a little, as she looked up at the ceiling, which was...forty feet above her, and bright...not her house...she instantly sat up, though regretted it as she winced to how sore she was, but she still panicked because of her immobile state.

"I-ironhide." She squeaked. "Ironhide!" she then screamed.

"Whoa easy, i'm right next to you." He said softly, when he arrived at base he cradled her as he brought her to Ratchet she hadn't woken the entire time, Optimus questioned what had happened to her naturally and so explained, her wounds were treated and he would have to break the news to her that they had to remove her shirt to get to those wounds, he cringed at the thought of her yelling voice echoing his processor, he let her sleep on his berth as he lay there beside her however had fallen into recharge himself after many hours of watching her slumber.

Eve whipped her head to her side, how the hell she didn't notice him she will never know, he lay on his side nesting his head in his hand as he hovered over her, "w-where am i? What am i on?" she said looking around.

"Shh, this is my berth, like a...larger version of your bed." He said as her distress made him smile slightly not because she was in distress but because she was not trying to hide her fear so he could comfort her for once instead of enduring it and with that said he directed a hand in her direction though she slightly pulled back at it in uncertainty, he shook his head slightly, "i won't hurt you, i want to comfort you." He said.

Though Eve hesitated for a while, his deep blue optics were soothing and reassuring so she nodded slowly as he let her come to his hand, she slightly flinched a few times as she was still unsure of the physical gestures, he lightly stroked her back to start with and after a few brushes she let herself nestle her head into his cupped hand her body was still slightly tensed and he felt this as he then gently nuzzled her cheek with a single digit, he was very careful as her cheek had plasters on from the harsh scratches, Eve then shuffled herself closer to him as she started to generally like this it was a weird gesture to her but it was nice, she then took a hold of his hand feeling brave as she held it burying herself in his embrace her lips slightly zig zagged at how new this was, Ironhide smiled at this as he was able to let her feel this, "Eve." He then said gently.

"Hmm?" She said, her eyes were shut and she was indulging herself in his hand.

"I want you to stay with me, at base." He said.

Eve then let go of his hand as everything from yesterday came flooding back, and she held her shirt for the evidence of this, she then acknowledged her arms as they had been wrapped in bandages "i-is dad really..." she started as ironhide nodded slowly.

She lowered her head as her hair draped over like a curtain, "He nearly killed me..." she mumbled, ironhide gently rubbed her back. "I thought i could convince him that he needed help, but he only saw me as a disease...I couldn't help him...i couldn't h-help him." She added, her voice broke slightly.

"He was a victim of his own madness, but don't blame yourself no one could save him, at that point." he said as he himself started feeling a slight hint of regret, "are you...i mean, do you resent your uncle for killing him?" he asked.

Eve shook her head wildly, "no way! He saved me, and if anything i feel bad for him, i mean killing a brother, well i couldn't relate..." she then trailed off.

"Because you have none?" ironhide finished.

"No, i have one, but i resent him..." she said.

"A brother...you never mentioned..." He started.

"what part of 'resent' don't you get?" she questioned rather bitterly though she relaxed her face and lightly scolded herself for speaking to him in that way, "i-i'm sorry...he is my half-brother, same dad, but back then when he was still living with us he would beat me just as dad did, and sometimes they would both do it, like some sick 'father/son' bonding s-session!" she yelled as her voice broke yet again.

"You resent him for hurting you and yet you don't feel the same resentment for your father?" he questioned.

"I don't know why i couldn't resent my dad, it's one of those tragic relationships that would never work but you still try to cling to it...i never wanted a relationship with my brother he is just blatantly evil" he bitterly spat.

"If he does not live with you anymore then where does he live?" he asked.

"With his mom...i-in this area." She said slight fear in her voice.

"Does he terrorise you?" he asked a growl lingered in his tone.

"well its one of the reasons i don't go to school he has his little gang of friends and of course we start fighting but he always ends up winning, he is four years older than me, he seriously needs a live." She said folding her arms.

"Something else to deal with it seems." Ironhide growled, he was sick of the world treating her like this! Her father, now a brother. "then you wouldn't mind if i were to...'talk' to him?" he said grinning.

She shook her head "I'll give you a call if i can't handle him." She grinned; she then looked at Ironhides hand that constantly hovered close by for console, "anyway get back to reassuring me." She said in a demanding tone.

Ironhide rolled his eyes as he let her take hold of his fingers and he returned to stroking her cheeks again, she nuzzled into them again as she couldn't help it really, the cutest she'd ever looked to ironhide and this made him create gentle sounds of purring and clicking, Eve closed her eyes hypnotised but snapped herself from the trance as this sounded bizarre, "what are you doing?" she asked slightly scrunching her nose.

"Sorry i was lost in the moment." He said sounding slightly embarrassed.

"No, no, i like it." She said.

"You do?" he asked somewhat taken back.

"Yeah...though i have no idea why..." she said feeling slightly weird if she was meant to feel calm from his clicking's, "it has a certain...music box tone to it if you know what i mean?" she said.

Ironhide thought for a moment, "lamellae." He then said.

"What did you call me?" Eve said scrunching her face.

Ironhide lightly laughed, "No they are the metal pins placed inside the musical instrument of which you speak, to produce the sound you suggested."

"Oh, er yeah, that sound." She said as silence between the two was shared though it wasn't an uncomfortable silence "ironhide?" she then spoke up.

"Yes?" he said.

She moved her fingers in a circular motion around the berth as she became slightly shy, "You...really want me to stay with you at base?" she asked.

"Yes, i wanted you the moment i tackled you to the ground." He said grinning, and with subtlety not being his strongest strength he guided his hand around her waist, she squeaked slightly not expecting it, she then pulled herself upwards as to get her head over his hand as she leant on it.

"What are you doing?" she huffily asked lightly struggling in his grasp.

"I'm holding you." He confirmed.

"You could ask first, i'm not a hamster." She lightly scolded.

He then opened his palm so that she sat in it, then lightly stroked her hair, "i'm sorry." He said apologetically, "However i'm not at the same time." He said grinning again.

Eve lightly cracked a smile, "i hate you so much, you know that right?" she said.

"Yeah, yeah." Ironhide waved off.

Eve swayed her feet over his palm as she thought again, "Wait, if i'm at base again, then so is Ratchet and Optimus? And the...o-others you said about?" she said slightly nervous.

"They would not harm you." He reassured.

"I'll stick to you for now." She said twiddling with her hair.

"I won't force you, now that you are here, out of danger and...mine." he said as he suddenly turned onto his back, making Eve gasp she felt like a ragdoll today. Ironhide held her above his head for a moment as he grinned at her surprised expression; he then placed her on his chest as she clung on for fear of falling though that wasn't possible.

"A-A l-little warning w-would have been nice." She nervously said as she crossed her legs getting her balance.

Ironhide put his arms behind his head as he was finally feeling content, "i apologize." He said as he just stared at her.

"w-what?" she asked slightly shyly.

"You look much different without those chemicals on your face." He said.

Eve instantly put her hands on her face in panic feeling the plasters on her cheeks and so she hid her face with her hands. Ironhide pinched her arm as he moved it from her face though she protested, "n-no." She whimpered.

"Eve don't hide your face, i want to see it." He said. Eves face had slight scarring to her face, very old ones, that much so they were barely visible, but she still believed them to be noticeable.

"I don't want you to, there horrible." She whimpered.

"Eve look at me." He said, though she slightly turned her head she didn't completely, "Eve...look at me." He repeated more firmly.

She turned her head fully this time but rusty, he placed two fingers under her chin as his optics travelled over her face, his serious looking face made eve uncomfortable but his expression softened as he had finished, "such a lovely female, i'm glad i picked the good looking one from the rest of your race." He said purposely trying to provoke her.

Eve lightly hit him; "i'm not a puppy you've just picked from a litter you know!" she pouted as she then started playing with her hair again shyly, "though i doubt i'm the 'good looking' one of the rest."

"Not true, i find humans unappealing at the best of times; especially when in crowds in your cities, so trust me when i say that you are the peak of life in this universe." He started off very poetic as Eve slightly blushed, but then his tone changed to that of a threatening one as he clasped his hands together, "and if there are those who disagree are obviously blind...or will be, but it will be fortunate that the last thing they do see is you, a mercy in my opinion." He said.

Eve lightly laughed, "You have a way with words hide." She said as she started prodding her face, "still..." she said.

"There's nothing there, your fine." as he then pointed his own face, "unlike my wretched self." He jested.

Eve bared a sympathetic expression as she then shuffled herself down towards his neck on her knees, "what are you doing?" he asked, she didn't answer merely trailed her fingers down his face in turn, she then came to a damaged optic which she intently looked at as well as some faded scars of his own, and she smiled. "You're nice looking too, even if you are a dickhead." She jested.

Ironhides optics flashed brightly to the comment as he stroked her face again in appreciation, Eve smiled and let out a slight giggle but let that die down as she was still troubled, "what's wrong?" Ironhide asked retracting his hand as if he had offended her.

"My dad's dead..." she uttered looking to her feet. Ironhide cupped a hand around her as she tried to find her words, "a-all i ever wanted was for him to say he loved me..." she stopped again as she took grasp of his thumb gripping it tightly as she pushed the urge to cry to the back of her mind, "but at the same i'm relieved that i don't have to live like that anymore... a-am i a bad person to feel that?" she asked him.

"no." He simply said.

Eve lowered her head in thought, "Eve." Ironhide said again drawing her attention back to him, "do you really feel that unloved?" he asked.

"I-i guess i wanted to hear it from him because...well...who else would?" she said flatly.

"Hmm, i should've expressed that more, perhaps all this could've been avoided." He sighed.

Eve tilted her head like a curious dog.

Ironhide shook his head amused at her expression, "You think our friendship is at a neutral agreement?" he somewhat jested.

"I wouldn't know." she shrugged, making Ironhides expression drop, true how would she know or recognise love if she never received it as well as never allowing anyone to show this to her.

Ironhides expression turned serious as a large ounce of adrenaline gave him the ability to look past reputation and normal behaviour and went purely on feeling, "well it's not. Eve, i would put my spark and soul in providing you with everything you never had, I'd protect you, entertain you, look after you and most of all I'd love you, which i **do**." He stated seriously but passionately.

Eve's expression was blank though her eyes widened, but something started to strain on her heart and she held a hand to her chest, "m-my heart s-slightly ached..." she said.

"Does it hurt?" he asked concerned.

"n-no b-but i kind of feel sick, it's like a feeling of panic but not...i don't know...y-you, this...is..." she said looking confused...and scared.

"Let it sink, you're confused." He said. She has been abused all her life, and to suddenly have so much positive feelings from ironhide is...so confusing.

"w-well..." she started as she took in her surroundings a way of calming herself down; Ironhides quarters were so clean and bright, well not completely as she looked at a workbench that had chunks of debris inhabiting it as well as the floor. With a small smile at the mess she then looked to ironhide, he smiled at her, it was without pity, _"what a stupid grin...you can tell he rarely shows it heh...it's been fun, hehe his expression and his look when he got bombarded with tomatoes, i pissed myself...he yelled, b-but to be fair i was being a jerk and he was pretty okay with it afterwards a-and he saved me when i stubbornly refused for his help...the thunder...he does make a good bed, and it felt as though he could outmatch the thunder...b-but i-i'm not telling him that, h-he'll just get big headed, well its big enough as it is ha-ha!...i still feel bad about what i said to him, i was stupid to think i could reason with dad...so stupid...i thought i was going to die, the look in his eyes was all i needed to know that, and i only thought of ironhide...'i need you' was the only thing in my mind...until he came...i have to admit i was afraid he wasn't going to come back...but even when he had the gun to my head, i was terrified but i had it in my head that he would save me...i didn't know how, but i guess that's how much faith i have in him now...yeah it's pretty stupid...it was a nice to be held though..." _ that panic feeling slowly went as she came to understand the feeling, "peaceful." She said.

Ironhide then sat up as he let eve slip into his palm, "i-i want t-to say...but i-i'm..." she started shyly as ironhide raised an eyebrow at her amused, "i'm really not the type to..."

"Neither am i." he said as he motioned to the whole of his quarters, "but it can stay within these walls" he added.

She smiled lightly, "stays here?"

"Stays here." he said grinning.

Eve looked to the ceiling as she took in that thought, then she exhaled slightly shakily "i think...**no**, i **know** that, i l-love you too." She said though she stuck her tongue out and let out a 'bleurgh' sound. Ironhide then poked her on the nose in a teasing manner, "piss off." She said whacking his hand away but he could only smile at her. "Hey! You gotta react to, i just poured my heart and soul into that!" she complained.

"That's because you're a female." He arrogantly announced.

"Wow, i instantly regret this arrangement." She said flopping into his palm.

So he thought that he would show her what that meant to him, truly. he placed his other hand over her like a blanket as he lifted her up to his face like a newborn kitten, he nuzzled his cheek with hers then pulled away swiftly, "i could express more but it may be a bit overwhelming for you" he said.

her face felt extremely warm and had turned a hellish red, then her eyes welled up as she softly started to sob "i-i s-still h-hate you." She stuttered, and finally Ironhide just held her close as she steadily poured her heart out.

"I can't say the feeling is neutral." He answered with.

* * *

**A/N there will still be a couple or a few chapters after this mainly of Eve in her new surroundings and what not getting used to it and then i'll be done :) please R + R**


	14. A Change of Bandages

**A/N i never stop a fic, but i do lose my buzz when you jump from one story to another its like playing different characters when acting :) so a couple more chapters then this one is done :) but doesn't mean its the end after all Eve plays a major role in my other fic three autobots and there charges :)  
**

* * *

**A Change Of Bandages **

After Eve had gathered herself up,

"Now, Eve, your society doesn't appreciate the language you use, i'm not going to be that hard on you, seeing how it is mostly bad habits, but we'll have to try at least." He said.

"I'll...try." she said. "but I'm not promising anything." she snapped. she looked around and then to the floor, "Can you put me on the floor now?" she asked.

"Are you sure?" he asked looking her over.

"Yes." She huffed as he shook his head lightly at her typical response but placed her on the floor anyway, though he hovered his palm by her as she slightly cringed at her wounds. "I'm fine ironhide, just a...l-little sore." She said though she liked the gesture of him being able to help if she asked.

"I can carry you, it's no problem." He offered.

"It's a problem for me, i'm not a baby." She moaned kicking her feet up. Eve looked at the rather large workbench that was near by, the only thing that was most mentionable seeing how Ironhides quarters were pretty bare, debris of machinery and bits of metal decorated the floor surrounding the bench that followed, "not as practical as you think you are. How is this child friendly?" she teased.

"I have not been in my quarters for two days. Plus count the other two days for me watching over you as you slept. " He said.

"you freak." She teased for being able to watch her for that long, "Hold on, two days?" Eve then started counting her fingers, "two days? Is that how long I've been sleeping? you sure?" she asked.

Ironhide nodded, "due to your status you have not been healing as fast as we hoped you would." He added.

Eve looked at her arms, "there probably just slightly scabbed." She said.

"Mm-hmm, they need to be changed soon too." He added.

"changed?" she said looking at her bandaged arms which she followed them up to her shoulder, then around her whole torso as she held her hands there, making her face turn red with rage and embarrassment, "who the fuck wrapped me up?!" she yelled at him.

"N-now E-Eve..."

"No one can touch me there or anywhere! Or Take my shirt off even when I'm sleeping!" she continued to yell.

"Ratchet is a medic, he was merely treating your wounds, it was professionally done and i was there for observation to make sure he did it right." He said slightly tempted to get his cannons out for defense.

"Ratchet?! And Who else?! I'm not a god damn frog being dissected ya know!" she said. "observation." she scoffed, "observe this." she added sticking her middle finger up to him.

"Eve it's nothing to be embarrassed about we all get repairs if you recall my not so fondness of my own repair maintenance." He said.

"y-you could've waited until i was conscious." She said dropping her face to the floor as a heat fell over her face, now she felt more sorrow then anger at this point.

"i did what i thought was best, being conscious may have been much more uncomfortable for you with the chemicals that were applied to your arms to aid the healing process." He said.

Eve then flushed embarrassed, "still, i was exposed...I'm not getting my bandages changed! I can do it myself!"

Without any warning again Ironhide scooped her up as she yelped again, "I'll be here with you." He said holding her in the crook of his arm but at this point she didn't care, she couldn't even bring herself to yell at him after what he did for her.

"I don't want him to do it...doesn't seem that hard to apply them if he can." She said her tone lowering.

"These procedures are never pleasant but it'll be quick and it's only for the last time." He said as he then placed her in his lap.

Tears slightly built up in her eyes, "i-i don't want to." She whimpered.

"I know." He said stroking her cheek and catching the tears that fell. "and i know that you will be going through different things around here but no one will make any comments, i won't let them, if they do so much as let a tear fall from your face they'll be pushing up lug nuts before they can hit the floor." He then said in a threatening vice.

Eve sniffed as she wiped her face, "is that like pushing up daisies?" she asked.

"in a sense, but that is basically what i mean." He said.

"That's sweet, hide but you can just have a fit at them it works just as good." She lightly jested as her voice was wobbly.

"you sure? It'll be as if they were never here." He said leaning his face beside hers in a tempting manner.

she giggled, and the sound was like wind chimes in comparison, "I'm sure, but death threats are fine." She added.

"what a sound, like a chirping Sparkling." Ironhide announced, "you should make that sound more often."

Eve blushed again, "Not bloody likely," she huffed sussing out for herself what he meant by sound.

"Shall i call Ratchet? If we get this done now we can tour the base so you can get used to your new surroundings."

She shuffled herself closer to him in a clinging manner to try and get as much shelter as possible, "don't like Ratchet either, that's a double negative." She said crossing her arms.

Ironhide lightly chuckled as Eve swayed lightly from the vibrations, a slight noise came from Ironhides doors as Eve instantly clinged to him more, "you can come in Ratchet." He said as he did so without a second passing.

He smiled at Eve though to her it was a 'patronizing' smile, "how are you feeling Eve." He asked.

"Fuck, you." She uttered glaring at him.

Ironhide snickered.

"Ironhide!" he snapped.

"o-oh sorry, er, Eve don't use that kind of tone on Ratchet." He said mock scolding.

"It's not her tone I'm referring to." He said but he shook his head as he knelt down to Eve who still clung to Ironhide. "Eve, i will be swift." Ratchet said but if this is his way of reassurance the Eve would vow to never let go.

"No! I don't care how fast it is!" she yelled flailing her legs at him.

Ratchet looked to Ironhide for help, he nodded as he tried reassuring her, he offered her a hand as she dived for it, "Ironhide pleaseeeee don't let him." She pleaded and this time physical tears were flowing as she shook with fear.

She killed him mentally, i guess that comes with the role, "Eve i pains me to see you like this really it does, but we are only doing this as we feel it's the best, i don't want your wounds becoming septic." He said.

"o-oh i hate life." She stuttered.

Ironhide raised her to optic level, "you don't mean that and I'll be here; just close your eyes and it'll all end faster." He said lightly patting her back.

Eve made a series of expressions as well as burning tears threatening to fall, with a frustrated growl she took grip of her top as she yelled, "as soon as i do this be fucking quick!" her eyes were still shut tight as she then threw her top off, her legs shook wildly as she was now exposed though the bandages were technically covering that though not for longer, nothing touched her yet and her bandages suddenly fell from her as she started whimpering in distress, Ironhide made slight 'shh' sounds as she let her tears fall.

"Oh, seems like they won't need changing after all" Eve slightly lowered her hands from her face upon hearing that, "the wounds have scabbed over." Ratchet said casually.

Eve froze then threw her top over her as her face turned brick red as Ironhide started to growl in his direction.

"You mean...i went through all that...and you didn't even need to change my bandages!" she screamed.

"You put her through all that distress for nothing!" Ironhide yelled also outmatching Eve's screams

"Yes, well..." he said sneakily.

"you fucking knew! He fucking knew Ironhide! you said i could trust your friends Ironhide!" she yelled.

Ironhide ceased hie growling as he looked down at her, "i know what i said Eve but unfortunately i keep **bad **company." he growled.

"maybe that'll teach you to speak to people in a proper manner now." Ratchet then added smugly in Eves direction.

"you exposed her, even though i had already updated you with the details of her physical abuse, she is self conscious in that section and you still choose to humiliate her!" he yelled standing up and placing Eve on the berth.

"w-what are you doing?" Ratchet asked slightly backing up.

"your going to apologize, your going to get on your knees and beg like a Primus forsaken Con!" He said.

"and you think you can make me do you?" he scowled throwing his face in his.

"i don't want eve to lose faith in me if i were to fail." He said with an evil grin.

* * *

A random human solider by the name of 'Dave' passed on by, he was content with his life, he was the soldier that everyone saw but never thought much of him, his role could be classed as somewhat minor but he knew his place and how significant he was despite how small, life was neither brilliant nor bad for this young soldier and that was fine...before his content life would come crashing down as he heard a lot of banging and crashing from one of the Autobot quarters, "get the frag off me!" came a voice he knew to be the Autobots medic.

"if you just get on your knee's and accept it this will be a whole lot easier and quicker!" a-and he then heard another voice of the weapon specialist, b-but 'Dave' kept his head down and thought nothing of it or whatever it was they were doing.

"she's the one with the big mouth! What i did to her was a small prize to pay!" ...'Dave' nearly choked on his own tongue as much as he liked to keep an open mind when mishearing things, he could not help but grow more concerned...of course how could he come to the conclusion of Ratchet being forced to get on his knees and apologize to a little girl.

"you exposed me against my will!"

The soldier suddenly froze at the sound of a child's voice, whatever he was thinking then made him scream in horror at that point as he fled the base throwing flailing arms and spouting on about how he should've joined the air force instead.

* * *

**Back inside Ironhides quarters.**

"did you hear screaming?" Ratchet asked raising a hand up in surrender for Ironhide to stop with his acts of aggression.

"don't change the subject." He said still trying to get Ratchets face to the floor.

"o-okay look I'll apologize but don't you dare force me into an undignified position!" he hissed.

"how is it any different from what you did to her?" he questioned.

"Ironhide i really meant no harm." He said.

"i have no tolerance for any kind of situation that puts her in any kind of discomfort." Ironhide warned.

"i didn't mean it as an act of humiliation, I'm serious now." He then looked to Eve then back to Ironhide, "can i?"

"She's there ask her." He said bluntly.

"Eve..." he started.

"piss off." Was her response.

"Eve, Ratchet wants to apologize, he's been a...dumb fuck? And he does generally feel bad." He said.

"well he can apologize from there, and I'm not forgiving you." She spat and she looked for something to throw at him at the same time.

"you don't have to Eve." Ironhide said as he looked at Ratchet, "now it will be months before she forgives you."

"you met a few days ago how will she not forgive me in that time?" he asked brushing himself down.

"because i'm not you." He said smugly.

He sighed, as he had reached a point of just wanting to leave, "Eve I'm sorry, at my age i shouldn't be sinking so low that i need to perform acts of cruelty on children especially those with a history of sensitivity." He said flatly.

"You call that an apology? you get a better apology from a dog when its just pissed on the carpet. and they don't even talk." she scoffed, "just go away." She said shooing him with her hands.

Ratchet growled as Ironhide shook his head at him, "Just walk it off Ratch, and maybe you'll become just as patient as i am." He said beckoning him to the door.

Ratchet scoffed as he muttered, "patience my aft..." he mumbled leaving this quarters.

"i really hate him." Eve said giving Ironhides quarter doors daggered eyes.

"come on now, when you get provoked you tend to come back ten times worse." He said sitting next to her, "you'll be living here now, and Ratchet shares the base with us. try to tolerate each other, you don't have to be nice to each other just try to find some common ground." he said.

"i could've thought about it, but then he had to embarrass me like that." she huffed.

"well, you don't have to be civil to him for a couple of months at least." he said.

"no crap." she said resting her head on her knees, Ironhide looked her cloths over as they were basically the only thing she had worn, her top looked as though she had to grow into it and her shorts were too small for her.

"we're going to have to get you some new cloths." he said.

Eve looked at her cloths as they were basically made up of old blood stains, "h-how?" she asked.

"let your government worry about that." he shrugged.

"wait the government is paying?" she asked as he nodded. "dude, I'll have some fries with that gaming console and a two hundred inch TV." she said rubbing her hands together.

"lets not go nuts." Ironhide said as the two fell silent on the berth, Ironhide let himself smile again as this whole situation was still very reliving, "do you want a tour of base?" he asked her.

she hugged her knees tighter as she looked at the door, "i-i don't know, after Ratchet I'm not sure i can take another prank, what about the soldiers and the other Autobots?" she asked.

"i had obviously put too much fave in my friends, so i no longer have a tolerance for the slightest joke at your expense, however." he started as he had already lost Eve's attention as she looked at her feet, "hey." he said nudging her, "you listening? eh?" he said pushing her over.

"I'm listening!" she snapped.

"yeah as i was saying, however, Optimus has been asking of you." he said.

"Oh yeah?" she said brightly then turning suspicious, "why? he's not been asking questions has he?" she asked.

"of course he asked." he said.

"and what did you say?" she said.

"i gave him a basic outline of the situation i didn't go into detail and he understood that." he said.

"thank you." she said relieved, that would be pretty embarrassing its bad enough anyone had to see her like that.

Ironhide nodded, "no problem, now about that tour?"

"W-Well don't rush me...and while we're at it why don't you introduce me to your so called friends?" she said.

"so soon?" he asked intrigued.

"might as well get it over with, so i can deduce who i have to watch out for." she said suspiciously.

"So paranoid." Ironhide tutted.

"oh yeah? well guess what mister laid back, did you know that Ratchet, Optimus and four other beings are standing outside?" she argued.

well yes he was aware but only because of his sensors, "h-huh, but how could you...?"

"When you've been chased by gangs of kids, beaten by your father and brother, restrained by the police, you get super-hearing." she said.

"I'll have to take note of that...well, lets get this over with..."

* * *

**A/N 01/01/13 well straight into meeting the other Autobots, and so far it'll only be Bumblebee, Sideswipe and the twins**

**also poor 'Dave' :P  
**


	15. Life on Base and New Faces

**A/N January? January?! i am a very, bad author, and i will send myself to my room ¬-¬# **

**but any case Eve meets some bots, but still needs time to get used to her new surroundings :) i worked my butt of to finish this after being inspired to carry on my other stories have been a distraction i am afraid ^^  
**

* * *

**Life on base and New Face  
**

Ironhide stepped out of his quarters as Eve kept close to him but she still showed how sore she was as she slightly limped like a lame dog, "You don't have to walk." he pointed out.

"Will you stop showing me pity, I'm fine." Eve spat.

"I didn't mean offense, you have to start accepting help from others, there's no need for you to stand your ground here." He said.

"No way, not after Ratchet made me look like a dumbfuck." She protested.

Ironhide let out a soft growl, "Not the best impression of my skills...I'm sorry Eve."

She smiled lightly, though she couldn't help it with him, instead of the usual scolding for apologizing or how dumb he is, she found it harder to do so with her friend, "i-it's alright Hide', just do me a favor, do you mind giving clearance to your **friends**? You know since Ratchet was a friend and then he did, **that**." She said.

"I promise you I'll be more aware." He noted as Eve suddenly gasped and hid behind his leg, "what's wrong?" he asked trying to twist his torso to look at her. She made a mumbling sound as threw her head forward pointing into a direction; he looked in front of him as a small group of bots stood just outside of base, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Mudflap and Skids. "What are you doing?" He said to them flatly looking behind him to check on Eve who hissed at him to stop looking at her.

Sideswipe shrugged, "i don't know why **I'm **here, and the twins here said that you stepped on a human or something, but besides that they wouldn't leave me alone until i went with them."

"What?" Ironhide replied looking over the twins with glaring optics.

"Well i came on my own." Bumblebee said tilting his head left and right as he tried to see past Ironhide, "is that her hiding behind you?" he asked excitably.

"Of course **you **came on your own, human lover." Sideswipe noted quietly to himself.

"Well yes, i mean no, i mean...go away." Ironhide said quite frank.

"Hey Ironman, we aint got shit to do round here, come on show us your thang ya got there." Skids said, pushing his twin to one side.

"Hey, you fragged? Watch the exterior i aint gonna get no Femmes if i aint working in all those right places." Mudflap complained smoothing his hands down the side of his body.

"Femmes? Man your own creator couldn't even love yo face." Skids retaliated back snapping his fingers in his face, though the snapping motion didn't utter a sound.

"Creator? That **our **creator you dumb piece of scrap, you diss my Momma you dissin' both our Momma's." Ironhide could only play tennis with his head as he sighed wearily, Sideswipe had gotten bored of the pointless argument and merely checked himself over as Bumblebee made his way towards Ironhide.

Skids scratched his head, "we have **two **Mommas'?!" he exclaimed.

"Enough." Ironhide called, "will you two shut your vocal processors, it's like there's a Drillers screech inside my head, u-urgh, you two annoy the scrap out of me, especially your choice of Earthly accent, if it even **is **an Earthly accent what exactly..."

All the while Ironhide continued his rant Bumblebee attempted to try and see if he could spot Eve and he could see her, there was movement and every time she knew he spotted her she moved again and Bumblebee felt he was playing a game. She begun to panic, "I-Ironhide." She called.

"A barrel roll? Wh-...huh? Eve?" he then looked to Bumblebee who was knelt down and obviously trying to approach her, "**Back off scout**." He growled, though Bumblebee was a generally friendly and more of a 'human' kind of bot, he had to restore Eve's faith in him.

Bee gave him an innocent wave, "just wanted to say hi." He argued.

"She's not very social Bumblebee." He said, grinding his jaw to the innocent young tone of the scouts voice, he no reason for him to be able to cut him down in anyway.

Eve still took cover behind Ironhides leg holding on slightly, the two with the same kind of speech pattern made her feel a cross between just wanting them to shut up and absolutely terrified at the same time, though the yellow bot was closer she was more bothered with the stumpy little bots that stood opposite Ironhide and she shook her head wildly just looking at them, "who the hell are they supposed to be?" she hissed up to him gripping as much as she could of the back off his leg.

"friends." He simply said as Eve gave him an intensely frowning stare. "W-Well, Sideswipe and Bumblebee are, the twins are more** acquaintances**, a part of my factor and nothing more." He said.

Again her expression remained the same, "Sideswipe? Bumblebee? And i thought your name was stupid." She scoffed smugly.

"You know i am right here." Bee said lightly as Eve instantly turned red, damn who thought a bright yellow bot could make themselves a shadow.

Ironhide observed her fondly, when he had approached her upon first meeting her tongue was as sharp and penetrating as an Energon blade, but she seems to shrink into herself if she is outnumbered, "Bumblebee is no Ratchet i can assure you, in fact he's closest in comparison to age." He said.

Though Eve refused taken a step back slightly set on retreating back to his quarters, "can we-can we go back? Please." She said poking him.

Her arms lay by her side as her form slightly edge forward eagerly waiting for him to follow her back, but he had to shake his head at her as much as he regretted it, given the spiteful scowl she gave him and instead knelt down slightly to lay his hand on the floor, "Come on Eve, just a brief greeting?" he beckoned her with a gestured finger.

She shook her head and even had to show frightened eyes to try and convince him.

"You can't avoid them forever; they occupy base just as i do, and you." He argued. "a-and don't perform that expression, your making me feel worse than the time i caused a supernova near a planet that had life bearing potential."

"you won't let them do anything funny right? L-Like with Ratchet?" she asked holding herself to the thought alone, she'll get him for that she had swore it. "God damn wrench head."

"No, if it's any comfort i outrank them, they can't request anything of you, not even a reply if you don't want to." He said smugly tilting his head from side to side proudly.

"Well, don't-don't let them get too close." She said cautiously getting into his hand as she watched the unfamiliar bots.

"i won't." He said bringing her close so that she didn't feel too open and despite her stubborn nature she felt she wanted to lean up against him for comfort, Ironhide then gave a flick of his head as his signature for his given permission, "say your greetings then leave, there are humans occupying this place and you act as though they were an endangered race." He scoffed.

Bumblebee was slow in standing up so not to frighten Eve, he above any other bot had a better understanding of humans as well as the similarities in age, he then gave a small wave as she kept a locked eye on his movements, "Hello." He said in a friendly manner.

Eve was silent as she continued to stare at him only for Ironhide to lightly poke her, "Go on." He said making her stumble.

"S-Shut up, shitmop." She hissed slapping his hand away.

"Don't tell me your scared of our young yellow scout are ya?" he teased.

"I am **not** scared, h-his bright yellow paint job is burning my eyes is all it's like having a staring competition with the bast-...bloody sun, and i can say bloody!" She argued. "J-Just give me a sec." She said as she rubbed her eyes and then breathed in, brushing herself down to back up her statement of how calm she was, "hello Bumblebee." She said very formally shutting her eyes in a smug manner she then opened her eyes as she was not as confident as she seemed looking at Bumblebee again, he had much larger optics, and were a slightly more brighter in colour tone. She looked at the car doors that dangled on his back like wings, she couldn't help but smile a little and the concept that portrayed him like the insect he was named after, and with that felt herself to have a conversation with him, "y-you, look friendlier then Ironhide and Ratchet." She commented as Ironhide shot his head down at her making a slight grunt sound. "It's true, don't be a bitch about It." she told him smugly shutting her eyes.

"Sure am." Bee replied with a wink of his optic.

"So you're young? I mean like not the same age as a dead dinosaur?" she said.

"In comparison to human age i could be 17-21?" he said. "i don't really have a chart."

Her eyes flashed with awe as she threw her head back, "Hey Ironhide, are you 50 in comparison then?" she jested loudly getting a small snicker from the twins and a smug cough from Sideswipe.

Bumblebee joined in with her jesting, "oh no, at least 60." He laughed.

"Yeah-yeah, let's put him in a home!" She cheered clasping her hands together with the conversation she actually **enjoyed **to participate in.

"Where they have to manually help him with his Energon." Bumblebee continued.

Ironhides posture turned almost drone like as he tried to keep his face straight though made mumbling sounds to himself, "Alright that's enough." he said defending his status.

"Can't argue with facts Ironhide." Eve said grinning mischievously up at him.

He gave her a slight scowling stare as Bee casually strolled by the both of them before Ironhide could voice his thoughts onto him, "Alright, see you around Eve." Bee said giving a small salute.

Eve slightly blushed to how friendly he was, "e-r, yeah sure." She said passing off a wave as he headed down the hallway.

Ironhide shifted his head to the side gesturing him to 'get out of here' as he looked between the two of them and sneered, "hmph, i'm encouraging you to socialise with us and yet i suddenly want Bumblebee transferred."

"You can't have both things Ironhide." Eve noted looking down the hallway. "I think i like him, he's really...the fun type."

"Unlike myself." He grumped looking to one side.

"Aw come on, really? I like you, Bee's alright but i don't trust him like i do you, i wouldn't let him hold me that's for sure, let the baby bot have his bottle." she said.

"You know you're looking better each day." He noted.

Eve bowed her head as she sighed heavily, "And your just getting really weird with the way you say things like that child catcher, you know our community would beat you for the stuff you say." she argued snickering.

"I meant your health!" He yelled though his anger wasn't serious however he wasn't going to let her casually brand him as a skulking drone either.

"Well thanks but..." she then stopped as she forgot about the other Bots standing there gawking. "Fuck sake wanna take a picture?" she said quietly to herself lowering her head and vision.

Bumblebee was fine, even Sideswipe despite his nature, but the twins, his Spark tensed to the mere thought of what words would come out of those two, it was never **just **a normal human greeting nor was it ever a normal Cybertronian greeting, "You lot keep the introductions brief, no funny stuff, especially **you two**." He said pointing a finger at Mudflaps and Skids.

"Hey Ironman we aint offensive." Skids shrugged.

"Yeah we'll leave your little flesh bitch alone." Mudflap blurted out folding his arms portraying how proud he was of that statement.

You could hear a penny drop as he said that, Eve had **allot** to say however the numbers were making her shrink before she could perform any action, so she clenched her fist as she tilted her head upwards looking to her guardian with hopeless eyes, she couldn't do anything or say anything numbers were never in her favour or defence, Ironhide himself placed Eve down mustering her to stay close to the wall as he took two steps forward and before even a "Wh-?" could escape either of the twins he had placed his hands around the twin's throats restraining them against the wall making a large mould of there frames into the hangar, "Stop referring to her by flesh alone! Her name is Eve and you will address her in the proper manner! Say what you want and do what you want to those i don't care much about, but insult my humans again and I'll blow you back so far, you'd wish you were in the **pit **in comparison to what you will endure from me." He growled as he let go of his hold on them raising a back hand to them making the two of them take cover behind each other.

"O-okay-okay! Take it easy Ironman!" Skids said surrendering.

"**Just**, don't speak; in fact i don't want you in her presence at all, shame of Primus' creations." He said.

All the time Eve watched him thoroughly, he displayed aggression and violence on a level she had a great understanding of, but it was different, and she looked almost intrigued by his action. "You alright Eve?" he asked.

She shook her head wildly despite his actions, "who or **what** the hell are they supposed to be anyway?" she whined surely even alien, something like those two shouldn't exist?

"Just stay away from them." He stated firmly as he turned to the two who were still lingering, "if i hear you saying or even looking at her funny i'm coming down looking for you two, so you keep your glitched vocals silenced." He said pointing a hard finger in the two's face that threatening they had to keep their optics on it, "now get the scrap out of here before i pluck those **slaggin' **excuses for mimicked human oral cavities."

The two spoke over each other, "s-sure thing Ironma...Ironhide!"

"Mam!"

"-Sir!"

As they stuttered amongst themselves they ceased speaking altogether as instead turn a 180 degree angle in unison and proceeded to flee out the hanger.

Ironhide grunted satisfied that he had made his point looking past Sideswipe who stood to one side he turned back to Eve, "They won't bother you none. But if they do, if you but call the first half of my name I'll be on them like cosmic rust."

"E-r sure, a-alright." She said scratching her head as she felt herself about to blush, she looked at him and through her vision he was the greatest being in the universe, just the force alone he had on the twins, sure it was aggressive behaviour but it was more for her protection then being aimed at her and she let herself smile.

"Eve?" he said.

"Yeah?" she said in a friendly tone.

Ironhide saw that glow in her eyes, it was admiration, "What i did to the twins..." he started gruffly, "Don't think that violence will always solve your problems because it won't." He said though it would be pretty hard not to kick the scrap out of the twins.

"So what was that all about?" she teased.

"I, lost my temper, the things they were saying were inappropriate, i don't want them upsetting you." He said strongly though his averted his optics to the side, Eve tried to hold back a snicker; she wasn't the only one to find it hard to admit ones feelings.

"It was sweet, i don't know maybe some violence is, okay?" she said completely stumped at her own words, "Well only your kind of violence is okay and everyone else is in the wrong, because they just suckass."

"Well if i ever do something like that again, i'm just glitched in the processor alright? And stop with the offensive human language." he said.

"Sure thing Hide'." She said as she looked to the last bot, "so what, is **he** crazy? Is **he** ecstatic? I don't think i can handle a third try." She held her head as though experiencing a bad headache.

Ironhide frowned slightly as he looked behind him, "Sideswipe?" he said completely believing the bot must have been cloaked for that amount of time, but upon that note, started to think if he had portrayed himself in his normal status. "Sideswipe uses blades in battle." Was the first thing he could say to move the conversation forward.

"Really? Hey, that's pretty cool." She said abruptly looking upon the being only to look to the floor, forgetting the guy was real and alive.

"Yeah i thought you might." Ironhide replied shooting Sideswipe daggered optics, everything exterior about him caught the eyes of many humans including his alt form, he scoffed to himself the bot was cocky and reckless, very decorated and by no means did he want him to be a sole role model.

"Take it easy Hide', i'm not interested in having a human charge, i'm a solitary bot." Sideswipe argued in his calm and 'cool' Earthly tone, Eve brought her head up to the sound of his voice she was generally surprised by the sound of it; she didn't expect to hear such a suave voice, weird.

Ironhide briefly shut his optics before making a mumbling sound to bring back focus, "Well, good, anyway say hello and then leave, i'm tired of seeing the same bot over and over despite how few we are." He said.

Sideswipe shook his head at the typical social interaction, "hey Eve." He finally greeted not really looking at her and raised a lazy waved hand at her, Ironhide sneered smugly at his arrogance but Eve had complete eye contact on him.

"_What the- h-how? Why? He's being completely ignorant and she has just become more drawn to his very being. Primus how?!" _he thought.

"Yeah hi, hey you walk on wheels?" she said acting as though she had no interest in the bot, looking to his feet as Ironhide felt he had become the third wheel and an ex-guardian.

"Yeah faster to get around as well as look brilliant at the same time." He said as Ironhide tilted his head left and right as he mocked Sideswipes words.

"So like rollerblades." Eve added resting a hand on her cheek.

"You should see me in battle." He said with winking optics.

"I probably will." She said grinning, okay this guy was arrogant but at least he knew it and that suited him, but he also kept to himself being friendly but making himself not too interested, Bumblebee and Sideswipe was a positive outcome for her she thought not everyone around this place acted like a council of old guys.

Ironhide though snapped himself to attention, "Oh no. No one is seeing anyone on the battlefield, you should know better and **you** shouldn't listen to him." He said pointing fingers at the both of them; he hated the thought of making himself the 'being of reason' as well as sound just as moaning as Ratchet.

"Whatever..." Sideswipe shrugged as he started to casually wheel himself out of the hangar, "See you around kid, or you know, if i see ya if i don't life goes on." He said looking back over his shoulder.

"Er yeah-yeah sure." He gave a brief nod before rolling out of the hanger completely swerving with absolute skill and precision, "there alright, i like them." She mused, though Ironhide expressed relief as well as disbelief and merely made an 'hmm' sound to himself neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"Hey Ironman?" came a very quiet and cautious voice, Ironhide was almost unsure who was speaking (despite the mispronunciation of his name) until he saw Skids half part of his head peek back around the hangar.

He merely growled at the sound and sight of him, "i wouldn't." He hissed a humming sound coming from his hidden cannons.

"Y-eah Skids, he aint no man, he a bot so he'd be like Ironbot." Mudflaps corrected standing very close to his twin.

"Yeah you right, hey Ironbot there some rumour going round sayin' you killed that human did his head splode' or what?" Skids blurted out in his usual loud voice not learning from the death threat at all.

"What?!"

"Y-Yeah, these dudes and bots bin' sayin' you vaporised the guy, like he just was gone, like 'poof'." Mudflap added.

"Ironhide are they talking about my...h-him?" Eve asked turning weary to the sound of brutal realism though she didn't understand everything they said including 'splode'.

"Who the slag has been spreading those kind of rumours?!" Ironhide demanded whacking a cupped fist against the hangar walls, another bill for the government to pay for.

"Well that Will guy, you know he was all moping about base, and he looked like shit like his face was melting or summut, and we were all like 'hey what's up Major human?' and he were all like, w-well he didn't actually speak to us, b-but he spoke to OP and when we listened in he were like something bout' Ironhide and killing the human that you have in your hands Sire and saying something else about that he were being brutal or something?"

"y-you spread these rumours around?" Ironhide started quietly like the calm before a storm, and Eve thought he was suppressing a stroke or something the way he tensed his fingers.

"h-hey we were just talking to some others and it kind of come up." Skids said defending his case though lacked the capability to know when to back off.

"How many more know?" Ironhide said, slight hissing sound escaping his chest plating.

"N-Not many, just..." Mudflap started counted his fingers as he looked to his twin when he was completely stumped with numbers.

"E-Erm the whole base?" Skids said playing with his fingers.

When slowly translating the twins herself she recognised how stupid the both of them were and as such was not afraid of them, "You spread rumours that Ironhide had murdered my...**that **guy in cold blood?!" she barked.

"Eve..." Ironhide started dangerously but tried to refrain an 'inside voice' so not to alarm her of his obvious frustration, and put on a mock casual voice, "i want to, murder these two but that means i would need to put you down." He said as the twins started to slowly back off with hands out in front of them in defence, "and i would have to leave you here while i 'deal' with them, would you be alright if i did so?"

Eve looked out ahead to the slowly fleeing bots as she didn't need to asked twice, "You'll be quick?" she said.

"**Very**." He said grinning to her.

She grinned back as she gave a thumbs down to the twins who hadn't got very far as they were fighting amongst themselves trying to get in faster in front of the other. "Then I'll be okay."

"You sure?" he asked again.

She sighed lightly, "Yes, come on old man those cowards have fucked off."

"Right." He said setting her down close to the walls as he deployed his cannons, grinning to himself as he had not been able to use his weapons for nearly a week he was in a sense, 'buzzing'.

Eve puffed a laugh as she looked over big lug, like a kid with a water gun as the twins ran as though there life depended on it, that is they were and Eve hated gossip, she would mouth off sure but at least it was fact and to their faces. "Dumb bots..." she said to herself. She then looked around as she suddenly felt very small, no one was around but she wrapped her arms around her to somehow protect herself, "hurry up Ironhide." She quietly pleaded rubbing her arms.

Looking around with more detail, the building was certainly tall, her old home was barely a fraction compared to this place, but it had nothing on this place that was for sure, the metallic look to it made it appear bright and clean.

With it being so quiet inside Eve could hear footsteps she mistook it for crates or something being placed out back but the timing of the sounds were definitely steps, some were echoed most likely to be Bumblebee as he had headed in that general direction, then there was a slow paced sound of steps, probably Ratchet in his quarters in fact she was very sure, "Slow...that's definitely you." She stated scrunching her nose up as she huffed, then as she continued to play a guessing game with herself louder footsteps were heard, they started off as an echo at first but slowly and surely became louder, she had watched Jurassic park and wished she had a glass of water at that moment but even though she knew it wasn't a tyrannosaurus she still couldn't help but tense up knowing who it was, she locked her arms up against her side looking to the floor as a shadow suddenly fell upon her.

"Eve? Are you showing signs of distress?" Optimus asked her unsure if he was the cause though his approaching presence made her grow with concern.

"Oh, Optimus, er hey." She greeted turning around to face him but looking to his feet.

"I would ask of your wellbeing but, i do not want to cause 'further' distress." He said.

"You're not a distress; it's just when you can't see a big guy like you sneaking up behind her you do feel kind of..."

"Uneasy?"

"Maybe, maybe just a little, i'm sorry, everything has happened pretty fast and, stuff." She said scuffing the ground with her shoes.

"I understand, becoming an occupant to our faction of base must feel strange, as well as the other occupants you will be amongst." He nodded, as he looked down the hallway, "will you walk with me i have other matters but i first need to get to the place of destination?" He said as her restless self could not be still for long.

"Er, yeah alright." She said trailing after him, "But i don't think your strange or anything, didn't you think we looked a little 'strange' when you came to Earth?" she asked.

"In appearance? No, more fascinating then strange, i take it you do not think the same way about us?" he said raising an eyebrow at her.

"N-No, you're not strange looking just cool looking just a little bit too much."

"Do i still intimidate you?" he asked.

"No way, your just, well a lanky fucker." She noted boldly, "w-well you know, you are, just calling what i'm seeing." She said shuffling her feet.

He lightly smiled to her frank honesty despite his disapproval of her chosen it was all down to bad habit, "How are you doing physically? Have your wounds healed?"

"Well, i'm still a little sore." She said rubbing her leg, "and...mm..." she murmured falling embarrassed to what she knew and Ironhide had heard her tell him, all those disgusting actions, she never understood it, he had never done anything like that to her before, what he was going to do, she kind of knew but at the same time she didn't a gut feeling just let her know but she couldn't give it in plain English what he tried to do.

"But alive, though some wounds may take more time to heal."

"mm-hmm." She merely said, what could she tell him, she felt her skin crawl to the thought of it, as she trailed her fingers against her arm shivering.

i had my concerns." He said.

"Oh yeah?" she said lightly throwing her head back before twiddling with her hair, "Optimus? Does, everyone know about it? i mean the twins they..."

"Well seeing how Ironhide is attempting to terminate them, i will have to confirm your suspicions I'm afraid. Though if Ironhide continues i may have to intervene he seems very sure to extinguish them." he said looking behind him, a lot of noise was huge as well as panicked sounds coming from the twins, Eve felt she was on a movie set or something.

"Yeah he looks like an asshole when he does this stuff but...he's only doing it because he's hurt you know? But Jeez you guys gossip like hens i thought this was supposed be a secret place but secrets don't actually last **inside **the secret?" she said confusing herself with some made up riddle. she then turned very out of place, even though Ironhide said it was aright, she still felt a little rude to just barge in, "Optimus?" she started to say looking to the floor once more, "is it okay that i can stay here? I-I don't want to be a squatter or something i..."

"You are welcome here, this place is our haven, our home, and any others may call it a haven also if they so wish it."

she rolled her eyes to how big a deal he makes things sound, "Sounds great Gandalf..." she said though she was very grateful, "By the way, is Ellen here?"

"She is, at her place of education. I have only told her of your condition not the cause." He said, the mention of school got her slightly edgy, she hadn't been to school since, well since her Uncle dropped off his things, but even then she stayed half a day only to wander back home during lunch because she had gotten into a fight again, but didn't want another lecture or a suspension because no one could pick her up.

"Right, she's probably going to interrogate me then when she gets back." She said

"Not interrogate, she is just concerned as we all are." He said.

"Yeah i know, she's got problems like me but she's, alright." She said. "So you and her, is it going good?"

"You mean the arrangements?" he said.

She nodded.

"It was something to adjust to but it took a couple of months, not long by certain standards." he said.

"But you're taking care of her right?" she asked defensively.

"i strive to achieve high standards."

"Yeah well you better." She lightly threatened, though she was serious she had seen the news, announcements of fallen soldiers, some names, some missing, her uncle being one of the missing soldiers only to return alright but some that did not including her friends parents.

"How commendable of you." He mused.

"How corny of **you**, i just don't like people being messed around with, when you think your alright only to be let down again, i have a lot of that not just from, my old man. People are jerks, man fuck um!" she blurted before lowering her voice as she heard it bounce off the wall, "i mean, so does Ellen stay with you then?"

"yes, she has her own berth but prefers to stay in mine, with me. she has become very tenacious." He said.

"Weird." Eve said, sharing a bed with **her **Dad she had never thought of and she felt it sounded **really **weird here maybe because her Dad felt more like a stranger who was male and that was it, like some random guy coming into her home, well if any case she'd definitely be staying in her berth.

"That so?" he said kneeling down to her, Eve became slightly wary to his intentions again as she watched the movements of his hands as he let one rest on the floor in front of her. "A bit, uncomfortable around gestures of affection aren't you little one?"

"Well I've just heard of the word, and I'm still just a little s-scared of It." she said.

"I understand little one." He said his fingers twitched slightly next to her.

"a-and don't call me little one, you don't hear me calling you big fucker, though that is an idea, w-well not to call you it but-but probably what I'll be calling Ironhide." she snickered.

"I do not want to rush you, so may i offer a hand?" he said as her eyes averted to his hand that still rested there in front of her.

"For what?" she said frowning at his palm.

"Just to get used to familiar sights and that we intend no harm." He said edging his hand a little more in her direction.

"i-i guess that can work, can i erm, just t-touch it?" she said not wanting to come off as sounding weird.

He blinked once and nodded.

She warily reached out her hand to one of his fingers, she held her breath as if approaching a tiger she wished to pet, her hand slightly shook as she was mere seconds of contact, then...she pulled back slightly but not completely as the coldness itself of his metallic skin only startled her, she reached again as she lay her hand on his finger and then let herself breathe, Optimus watched her intently as she did so, "Wow." She breathed.

"Is something wrong?" he asked her tone was full of awe but some fear resided.

"Oh e-er no, it's just that even by just touching your finger i can tell how well strong it is in just your hands, its...I'm sorry i don't mean to be but, you are..."

"It is alright Eve someone had used force on you for many years." He said as he retracted his hand and placed it to her side in a cupped manner, she slightly gasped as she froze, "I am not just a being of strength, i am capable of gentleness."

she remained frozen but she did understand his meaning, his hand radiated warmth but she hadn't felt it before, she didn't like to ask too many questions but she had a thousand at that point, "I know, a-and we're...well kind of friends, i think, but right now i feel a little more...er..." She said.

"Comfortable around Ironhide." He said lightly smiling.

"Y-Yeah but, you know, I'd like to know you too. And the others if i-if i can." She said shrugging.

"And you are strong in observing second chances." He said.

Eve slightly blushed again, though she wished she could insult him in **some **way, this guy was too good to be true, "W-Well i...don't want to end up like the crazy cat lady."

"A, Human feline? is that part of human mythology?" he said tilting his head.

Eve opened her mouth as she was about to explain with much amusement...

"Eve!" came the cry of Ironhide as Eve jumped twenty inches off the floor, in an instinctive manner because of how loud he sounded she gripped a hand on Optimus' leg, the small gripping hand demonstrated her need for help as she kept it there unbeknownst. "You alright?" Ironhide said his voice turning more concerned and toned down in volume, "I found you gone i thought you had gotten stressed and ran off in panic." He said.

"No, I'm fine dumby." She said as she looked herself over before releasing her hand from the Primes leg in a panicked manner, "Urgh, hobo cloths." She said looking at the slight stains of blood and the funky smell that came off it, she felt so grubby in front of them.

"Well, we can go out 'Shopping' again as you call It?" he said.

She slightly blushed as these beings seemed to have a habit of doing, "C-Cloths shopping? With-with you?" she said scrunching her face.

"What's the problem?" he said totally clueless.

Eve pictured his holoform in a shop in the woman's section carrying allot of bags, she lightly cringed, "Ironhide i don't think you'd be erm, alright in a cloths shop, if it was anything like the supermarket." She said. "b-but what i mean is, well i guess we could just grab some things and go without me trying them on or anything."

"You don't know your frame measurements?" Ironhide said tilting his head.

Eve's face turned crimson, "d-don't talk so casually about my measurements you freak!" she cried.

"Ironhide." Optimus started, "you may need to demonstrate sensitivity, though with some places on this planet, here, male and females are generally separated when it comes to situations of exposure." He said thought this didn't help Eve any with the description he was giving. "In Eve's case, she may feel, uncomfortable in a public area and the presence of a male as well, i have observed that with young females they prefer the company of their Creators then there Sires."

Ironhide raised an eyebrow, "Hmm, what's the difference? Besides design?" he said as Eve slapped a hand over her face almost groaning to how awkward she felt though she felt to just blurt it out to the big idiot.

"Look man i ain't throwing my butt around in the changing rooms and for your information there is a pretty **noticeable **difference between girls and boys you stupid foreigner." She said as he was about to speak again, "Look! Dudes have a PP and girls have a cho-cho." She stated the words very seriously.

"You want to define the..." Ironhide started.

"You have wireless! Check the slang!" she barked but then shook her head, "But not, not now! Later!"

"sensitive flaw human's posses, beauty comes in all forms and in the presence of stars they merely die." He said.

She grinned, "No way are you single." She joked sarcastically.

"Single?" he said in Optimus' direction.

"Availability for a potential mate." He defined.

"But wait..." Eve said scratching her head, "you guys have girls right? So don't you have differences?" she said.

"As i said only design, and function. Oh and perhaps behavior as well, i know some Femme's who should just stick to **one** function." He said.

"one function? Oh my God you're a-a, what's that word, its-its, Sexy? Sexist? Sexist! You're a sexist pig!"

It didn't take him even a second to research the word as he shook his hands in protest, "N-No i didn't mean it that way! I meant it as a jest; Femme's are our equals, s-sometimes."

"Oh shut up." She said.

"Alright that's enough Eve." he lightly scolded, her excitement was overcoming, "Well, if we do go, perhaps you should choose a different, color scheme?" he suggested.

"But i want to keep my black top it suits me just fine." She said.

"i don't think you need that top to 'hide' anymore." He said lightly.

"Y-yeah i do."

he himself then knelt down to her, she watched his actions but she wasn't too wary, in fact very comfortable, even when he diverted a finger that almost looked as though was going to poke as she readied to slap it away "What's there to hide?" He said brushing her long hair from her face, though she blushed as he did so, feeling a light draft touch her exposed skin of her face made her feel very naked.

"I-I well..." she attempted to scold him for such an action but his expression remained the same before and after he had removed the draping wave of hair that covered her face, "but-but allot of humans don't think...i mean some think i've had...burns." She said looking to one side as she stroked her hair to the motion of climbing a rope.

"I told you before, their optics are all clearly malfunctioning." He said.

"**All** of them?" she jested.

"Yes." he stated seriously.

She looked at the two bots she stood between she didn't have a good beginning, but maybe that will change now, the metallic walls and military hangar was definitely different but it was better than her old life, anything was better than her old life, "Alright Ironhide, we'll go shopping again, but give it a few days okay? I want to get used to this new home of mine." she told him.

"and I'll help you settle, i hope you don't mind sharing my quarters? i know humans don't usually work that way so i wouldn't want..."

"we all life differently." she interrupted, "b-but i think I'd prefer your way, well i think it'll be better then mine, even if you are in my life now." she said grinning.

"Damn right i am." he said as he gestured his hand further down the hallway, "shall i show you the human factors of our base? it is small to start with but maybe you could make some 'suggestions' to Ratchet of what would make you feel more at home?"

"i bet i can come up with a 'few' ideas." she said keeping herself close to her guardian, "I'd keep him working that's for sure." she grinned rubbing her hands together in a mischievous manner.

* * *

**A/N just a couple more i think, of course involving her choice whether to attend her Fathers funeral, and of course a few more things i will involve before finishing this :)**


End file.
